Of Emerald Descent
by Wcnerd42
Summary: The war is over and Hermione is glad that everything can finally get back to normal, except for one hitch: the healers take the memory charm off her parents and the Grangers don't remember their daughter. As Hermione discovers her true identity and returns to Hogwarts to complete her seventh year, will she be able to cope with being re-sorted? DMHG
1. Beginnings

This is my first fic! Lets see how it goes.

Thank you to my betas, DevilNinja2000 and SlytherinPride2292. Go take a look at their stories and show them some love.

Also I don't own the Harry Potter franchise or any of these characters. With that said . . .

* * *

"Oh, Hermione. There you are," the youngest Weasley said while crossing the threshold. "Mum wanted me to come get you. Breakfast is on the table."

Hermione looked up. "Be right in, Ginny."

Situated among the oak trees sat Hermione, a book on her lap and papers strewn everywhere. At the end of the summer, she would have ordinarily been at home spending time with her parents before leaving for Hogwarts, but her new situation was anything but ordinary. To complicate matters further, she couldn't even turn to Dumbledore to help answer her questions. She was completely alone in figuring things out, so she turned to what she knew best: books.

It all started at the end of May upon her return home. Even though The Battle of Hogwarts had left everyone grieving, she was happy to have finally found her parents, with the help of a tracking charm on their suitcases.

Arthur Weasley found someone in the Ministry who had traveled to Australia the summer before; she was able to side-along Apparate to the country and track Wendell and Monica Wilkins down. Hermione then brought them to St. Mungo's and they were able to safely bring back their memories for the most part. Despite that, Mr. and Mrs. Granger didn't remember her.

As a result, she was hurt. Surprisingly for Hermione, emotions set in before logic did and it wasn't until a healer pulled her aside that she really started to think about it.

He escorted her toward the exit. "Miss Granger, they had a memory charm on them prior to the one you cast," he had told her. "It's the only explanation."

Hermione had been shocked. Was he implying they weren't her parents? "You cannot be serious."

Reaching the front hall, he thought about it for a moment and handed her a business card from the main desk.

"If you ever need to talk through things, we do have mind healers here. But. . ." he trailed off, "it doesn't look like the Grangers will acknowledge you as their daughter." His face flashed with something. Pity? Hermione didn't need his pity- or a therapist, for that matter. She needed answers.

Her mind back in the present, Hermione gathered her papers and books up and went back inside the Burrow. The air in the home was so tense, it was suffocating in the Weasley household and she wanted to go back outside immediately upon entering.

Fred's seat remained at the table, an unspoken rule known by the household's occupants. Nobody sits at his place. George was nowhere to be seen, as he rarely left his room. His way of dealing with his grief was to delve into Weasley Wizard Wheezes and product testing. After all, the family thought, it was what Fred would've wanted.

Hermione sat down and began filling her plate with beans, fried tomatoes, mushrooms, and scrambled eggs. The table was overladen with food, but Molly continued cooking in a fenzie, three skillets being magically stirred on the stove and spilling their contents onto the stove. A mounting pile of egg shells fell to the floor, and invisible hand cracking them haphazardly into the mixing bowl.

When she'd first arrived in May, Hermione tried to help the Weasleys through their grief. Now, three months later, she only wanted to eat her breakfast as fast as she could and spend the rest of the day researching.

Suddenly, the empty fireplace burst into roaring flames and out stepped Harry.

"Morning, everyone," he said stepping toward the table.

He was not even halfway there before Ginny jumped on him. "Gin, I - saw you - a few days - ago!" He managed to get out between the attack of her kisses.

"Get a room, you two," Hermione said sarcastically, sending the couple a genuine smile.

Harry's presence was a breath of fresh air in the tense dining area and she was happy they both had an escape from their grief. Grinning back, Harry held Ginny in a half-hug.

"Sit down, Harry dear," Molly said with her back turned; she was still busy, making an even bigger breakfast. "You're as thin as a broomstick. Is Ron flooing in next?"

"They're feeding me well, just ask Arthur," Harry responded. "Ron's actually not awake yet. I left him at Grimmauld Place. I actually came to talk to Hermione."

Hermione stood up quickly after shoveling a helping of eggs into her mouth, happy to leave the stuffy home.

"We can talk outside," she said.

Squeezing Ginny's hand before following, Harry shut the back door to the Burrow.

"Walk with me?" he asked Hermione.

She followed him toward the flower beds in the yard, puzzled. Harry hadn't come to talk to her once the past summer. Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Harry would all hang out around the house, but he never needed to speak to her alone. What did he need to say that couldn't be said in front of their family?

Harry seemed to be hesitating to say something. He defeated Voldemort and displayed more bravery than any other Gryffindor that Hermione had ever known, yet he seemed unsure to speak about what he came to say now that the two of them were alone, and away from other company. Hermione laughed internally at the irony of the situation.

"I. . . haven't been there for you like I should have been," he blurted at last. "It's just- Lupin and Tonks and Fred and-"

"-You don't think I know that, Harry?" Hermione interrupted him. "You've been through a lot and nobody expects you to hold it all together."

"My guilt for their deaths is no excuse, 'Mione. Nobody has been there for you these last couple of months. I've been so self-absorbed."

It was true, she knew. He was self-absorbed but after all, he had always been that way to a certain degree.

They had arrived at Hermione's favorite spot in the garden and the place she often did her researching. Six raised beds arranged in a circle were filled with everything from fragrant lavender to chrysanthemums to her favorite: pastel pink peonies. At times, the Burrow was unbearably on edge and she liked to sit in the middle of the circle with her books and relax. When she left for Hogwarts in the coming week for her seventh year, Hermione knew she was going to miss this.

"It's quite alright. I know you'll be there for me once you get through what you've been dealing with," she replied. He didn't need to feel guilty for neglecting their friendship. He had gone through too much.

"Well," Harry began, "I'd like to be there for you now." He dug around in his pockets before fishing out a piece of parchment. Handing it to her, he motioned for her to read it.

_Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes_

_Memory Charm Reversal Squad_

"I don't understand," she told him after looking at the ink several times. "There isn't a memory charm reversal squad."

"There is now," he said, hardly able to keep the smile at bay. "I know you haven't been reading _The Daily Prophet_, being so busy doing your research, so I thought I would bring it to your attention. Apparently, a lot of families put memory charms on family members before the war and Kingsley thought there needed to be a branch to deal with it."

"But Harry," she said slowly. "My problem isn't exactly like the typical situation they have to deal with, is it? How could they help me?"

Harry seemed proud of himself.

"I stopped in one day on my way to the Auror Department and told them what we're dealing with." Harry's usage of the word 'we' didn't escape Hermione's notice. This was their problem now. She was glad to have her best friend back. "They were happy to see me and told me to bring you in."

The gesture was also not lost on Hermione. "Oh, Harry!" She exclaimed. He nearly fell on the flowers with the force of Hermione's sudden hug. "Thank you."

Harry had been tackled for the second time that morning, but he wasn't upset. He, too, was glad to have his best friend back.


	2. Questions

Thank you for the reviews! You guys made my day.

Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. If I owned HP, I wouldn't be posting cruddy fanfiction.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Harry and Hermione found themselves outside of the phone booth entrance to the ministry.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Was she sure? Absolutely. Was she still scared? Certainly.

"I need answers and the fact that I'm even standing here shows just how desperate I am," she replied. Despite the transition of power to their good friend Kingsley, old habits die hard; Hermione still held distrust for the magical government system.

Chuckling, Harry squeezed into the red phone booth, trying to hold his breath. Hermione came in after him and gasped when the urine scent hit her. "Ugh! I forgot about the smell. Can't the ministry spend a bit of its budget for a janitor to clean this thing?"

Upon entering the expansive marble foyer, ("Oh yeah, _that's_ where their budget went") Harry took a deep breath and headed toward the nearest lift, which had two pungent, older lady occupants.

After the women got off at the Level 6: Department of Magical Transport, Hermione turned to Harry. "You've been awfully quiet…"

He glanced over at her "I know. I guess I'm just scared for you, that's all."

"Harry, I think I can handle whatever news I get. Whoever put the spell on my parents had a good reason. Who knows- maybe I'll really like my new parents, if I ever get to meet them."

Harry didn't have time to voice his response before the unseen woman announced their destination: "Level three: Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, including Accidental Magic Reversal, the Obliviator Headquarters, Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee, and Memory Charm Reversal."

Before Harry could say another thing to create doubt, Hermione exited the lift and headed off toward the end of the hallway. Reaching the department with Harry on her heels, she opened the door.

"OH! Hello, you must be Hermione Granger. So pleased to finally get to meet you. I've heard so much about you. You played such an important part in the war, I feel humbled to make your acquaintance. Hey, mayb-"

"I apologize for 'er", spoke a balding Irish man sitting behind a desk. "She's not the full shilling, y'know."

Stepping into the office, and not being verbally bombarded, Hermione was finally able to get a good look around. A dozen oak desks were pushed into the tiny room and only half of them were currently occupied. Papers were strewn everywhere across the desks, as if they didn't have access to file cabinets or just didn't care about the disorganization. A few bulletin boards hung around the walls, names and family information scribbled on the pinned paper scraps. The entire room felt especially confining because of the level of disorganization and the department workers' scrambling to find what they needed.

Turning toward the overeager woman, Hermione saw she was actually quite pretty. She was in her mid to late 30's and wore quite tasteful makeup that highlighted her dark brown eyes. Her wavy, brown hair was long enough to lightly brush the shoulders of her black and magenta robes. Although having quieted down, she was still clearly excited about meeting another one of the Golden Trio.

"Maybe we can start over? I'm Hermione."

"Margo Cooke, head of this branch. I apologize, I can be overbearing. Harry told me about your situation. Please, step into my office." She motioned toward a desk and three chairs set about three feet away from the other workstations, although just as disorganized as the others.

They sat in the cramped chairs, which had to be pushed close together to make room for the walkway. Margo seemed pleased with the way they were situated and started rifling through her desk drawers. "It has got to be here somewhere," she muttered.

"Maybe try 'accio'," Harry mumbled. Hermione tried to hold in her laugh.

After what seemed like several minutes, she brought out an envelope.

"Kingsley gave the department this envelope and we were given explicit instructions to not read it or seek you out, Hermione. We all made bets about what it contains, although all we know is that it's from Dumbledore. Harold over there, the one who called me crazy, thinks it's the old man's most private secret. He's got 5 Galleons on it, actually. _I_ called _him_ crazy for that one. Susan, she's out for her lunch break, thinks it's a joke. She thinks there's only a blank piece of parchm-"

"-Did you say it was from Dumbledore?" Harry interrupted.

Margo seemed deflated. "Yeah. Here you go, Hermione."

Ripping it open, Harry leaned over her shoulder and they read the letter silently.

_Miss Granger,_

_I regret to have to deliver such news over parchment, but I find myself running out of time. I expect you'll have many questions when Mr. and Mrs. Granger's memory charms are cleared._

_Before your birth, it was prophesied that you would play a vital role in the downfall of Voldemort because of your relationship with Harry and ability to keep him on track. There was not a shred of doubt in the credibility of this because of James Potter's reputation for trouble. Your real parents were pureblood Death Eaters and it was believed that, without intervention, you would grow up to value the traits of Slytherin, like the rest of your real family. This of course, would mean you probably wouldn't have become friends with Harry._

_I personally intervened, casting a memory charm on the Grangers, removing any way of your past family finding you, and placing the highest protections on your new family. For legal reasons, I cannot tell you your real last name, but can say your parents are gone and safety in claiming your heritage shouldn't be a factor in the choice you have to make. I know you'll choose your next steps wisely, Miss Granger, and I hope you can forgive me for my intervention in your family matters._

_Albus Dumbledore _

As Harry finished, he looked over at Hermione's face and was rather startled at the lack of reaction and the fact that she didn't seem to be bursting with questions. Hermione's family were Slytherins? No. It didn't make any sense.

"Well," Hermione sighed, "leave it to Dumbledore to play a joke while on his deathbed."

Margo was pretending to be absorbed in the picture frame on her desk, but was obviously eavesdropping. Harry said his next words carefully. "Hermione, I don't think this is a joke. This sounds serious."

She was beginning to show her frustration. "Fine, Harry, we'll just see what Margo here thinks." She thrust the parchment into the older woman's hands.

Skimming the text twice, Margo handed the letter back to her and began searching through her desk again. "There's a simple solution to your doubt, Hermione." She continued her searching. "I don't remember the spell, but if I can just find the book."

'_Spell?_' Harry mouthed to Hermione. She shrugged her shoulders. Looking behind her, she saw Harold and the others sitting at their desks quickly turn away. _So much for confidentiality_, she thought to herself.

"Ah. Here it is." She pulled out a copy of _Weird Wizarding Dilemmas and Their Solutions _and, after rifling through the pages, came upon the page she seemed to be looking for. "There's a spell I can cast on Hermione that will tell us if she is a Pureblood. It's rather simple, it seems, and will confirm whether or not we can believe Dumbledore's letter."

Hermione thought it over. There was a pretty good chance that Dumbledore was just pulling a joke on them, so she really didn't have anything to fear. The spell would reveal she didn't have pureblood parents and she would go back to the Burrow to continue her research. Yes, that's what she would do.

"Sure. Cast the spell, but don't have your hopes up. It's not going to help us."

"Right-o then. This should be fairly straight forward. The book says Hermione will know with certainty after the spell is cast. Now, you don't have anything to fear. I had an O in my Charms O.W.L. and was told by ol' Flicky himself that I was almost as good as Lily Potter, which just goes to show house favoritism doesn't exist because I was a Ravenclaw. Harry, did you inherit-"

"Would you just cast the spell already?"

"Oh! Yes, yes. Of course," she gushed with a renewed sense of urgency. Pointing her wand at Hermione, she uttered the spell. "Anpura Sanguine".

Everyone stared at Hermione, waiting for her reaction to the spell to gauge its effect. Thus far, she was silent and seemed to be pondering her next move. "Well?" Harold spoke up. Everyone turned to glare at him.

"I'm a pureblood." She blushed. It was difficult to admit you were wrong, but especially if you were Hermione Granger. Call it stubborn Gryffindor pride, if you will.

"It's okay, Hermione. At least now we know for sure." Inside, Harry was screaming _'I told you so'_, but he knew he needed to be there for his friend. "What are our next steps?" He directed at Margo.

"The letter says she can claim her heritage, but perhaps we should take some time to think about it? I can't guarantee Hermione's family won't be alerted when she comes out of hiding." Margo was looking at her with worry written all over her face. She didn't want to go too fast and push this girl into something she didn't want to do, especially since she couldn't begin to place herself in her shoes.

"Yes. I'd like to do that," Hermione said in a daze, walking out of the crowded room.

Meanwhile, Harry stayed behind and asked the branch more questions. Five minutes later, he walked out of the room with a freshly sealed envelope and hope for Hermione.

* * *

Don't you guys absolutely love Margo? I could totally see her character going to work for the Quibbler or something.

Stay tooned. Chapter three is really short so I'll be posting three and four together next week.


	3. Chances

Two chapters this week, as promised (although does this one really count as a chapter? It's so short). I'm having a lot of fun with this and have been pretty tickled to see all the reviews.

Thank you, again, NinjaDevil2000 for editing this. Mucho Appreciato.

Yup. Still don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

As soon as she got home, Hermione dug out her dusty copy of _Wizarding Families of Great Britain_ to . . . well, she didn't really know. To figure out the family she was related to? To try to find pictures of people who resembled her? Either way, her research was useless. She wished she could talk to the Weasleys about it, but she didn't want to bother them about it. They were going through enough with their own issues.

Deciding she was going to keep the situation away from the Weasleys, she tried writing a pros and cons list to sort out her thoughts about claiming her heritage. Admittedly, she didn't know much about claiming heritage besides the fact that it involved a potion and would most likely entitle her to a portion of her family's fortune. After an hour of contemplation, all she had written on the pros side was 'painless' and 'money?', while the cons side said 'I'd be treated differently', 'will I even get along with my new family?', and 'Daily Prophet will hound me for an interview'.

She scribbled a quick note to Harry and Ron, asking them to meet her for coffee in the morning, and attached it to Errol. They would surely know what to do or at least be able to give her advice.

The next morning, the trio sat in a quiet, comfortable cafe in muggle London. Hermione always loved coming here with her par- no, with the Grangers, and it had become a tradition for the small family to stop in every time they came to the city. Her mom would always order an Earl Grey with cream and her dad would go for a stout, black coffee. Hermione, on the other hand, liked the waitress to surprise her. She smiled fondly at the memory.

In the present, the cafe looked the same as it had always looked, which she was glad for. Plush grey chairs and tables were situated all around the room, contrasting with the brown walls. An overflowing bookcase towered over the counter in the corner. The books on the shelf weren't really Hermione's cup of tea though, so she had always brought her own. The best thing about the cafe, however, was the smell. Some days, she could smell coffee beans and fresh cream when she walked through the shop doors and at other times, freshly baked pies and cakes.

The group ordered their drinks and Ron turned toward Hermione. "Harry told me about the other day. What are you going to do?"

Ugh. Leave it up to Ron to have a complete lack of tact. "Uh. . . I'm not sure?"

"Well, I'm sure this family left behind some descendants. Sure will be awkward if they're your age," he continued.

"What do you mean by that?" Hermione was desperate for a different approach to her analysis.

"If they're your age or younger, they will be returning to Hogwarts, especially if they're in Slytherin. I'm sure all of them are coming back to finish school- it's tradition."

Ron had said something intelligent and both Hermione and Harry were shocked. They both knew that if he was right, this school year would be very different from all others. Hermione was beginning to think she should claim her heritage before her remaining Slytherin family discovered her.

Their drinks came to the table and Hermione was still lost in thought. They drank their beverages in uncomfortable silence. Harry and Ron had finished their hot chocolates by the time Hermione finally spoke up.

"Harry, what's the next step?"

He fished a murky blue potion out of his pocket and, suddenly aware he was in muggle London, quickly concealed the vial in his hand. "Margo gave me the information for a mail-order potion service after you left the office," he whispered, "They're not very well known- I had never heard of it before she wrote it down. Anyway, after you drink the potion, the head of your family will be alerted. Hermione, they'll know your name and exactly where to find you." He seemed uneasy and a quick glance at Ron showed Hermione that he felt the same way as Harry. The lack of privacy would have been of concern if they were still in the war, so she knew where Harry was coming from.

"Harry, Voldemort's dead," she said coldly, taking the potion from his hand. She downed it in one gulp and grimaced. It felt like she had swallowed a whole slug. "I can deal with a few Slytherins."

To the northwest of London in Oxford, Theo Nott suddenly had a name appear in the forefront of his mind and a wave of understanding washed over him.

"Hermione Granger".


	4. Discovery

Rowling doesn't want to give away the Harry Potter franchise because it'll mean she can't post embarrassing TMI details on Twitter anymore.

That being said- still don't own HP.

* * *

It came as a shock to everyone when Harry said he was going to move into Grimmauld Place following the war, especially since he had enough money to buy his own house. Even before the war, the Black home was a glum and wretched place, so most couldn't understand why he would want to stay there. Shouldn't he want to make his own memories in a new home?

Last May, Harry had had the Auror Department check over the building and they found Jugson (who fought in the battle at the Department of Mysteries). According to the department head, Dale Miles, the crazed death eater tried to fight off seven aurors by himself and, after being subdued, admitted he didn't know Voldemort was dead. Harry knew Sirius would have thought this was hilarious and probably would have let him keep the place.

Deep down, he understood Sirius would've wanted him to demolish the house and everything in it, but he couldn't do that yet. Sirus wouldn't have understood, he reasoned. Harry didn't have bad memories in this house like his godfather did. This was the house he'd come to _know _his godfather in.

12 Grimmauld Place came to serve a purpose again when Harry invited Hermione to come stay with him and Ron, who was also living there. They still didn't completely understand her situation, but knew they would feel the most comfortable with her in their sights. If her family that came to claim her turned out to be dangerous, the Burrow wouldn't offer nearly enough protection.

Hermione found living with them to be infinitely better than before and, unlike the Weasleys, she could actually confide things in them. Harry had sent Kreacher to the Hogwarts kitchens, so Hermione was the one cooking all their meals, but she found that she actually didn't mind. She wouldn't have admitted it aloud, but she liked being depended on- it was just like they were all back at Hogwarts again.

When her list of supplies came, she was surprised to see a Head Girl badge and list of instructions for what to do on the night she arrived at Hogwarts. The boys were, of course, incredibly proud of Hermione for earning the position of Head Girl, but they had known she would get it. Ron went to Diagon Alley later that day to fetch her school books and came back with ice cream from Florean Fortescue's. It was the happiest Hermione had been in a long time, and she'd only been staying there for a few days.

Although they were trying to stay inside as much as possible, they decided to take her out to eat that night to celebrate her new status in the school. The boys told her they could go anywhere in Muggle London, and Hermione picked a quaint, family-style restaurant that she'd always wanted to go in, just a few blocks from the cafe that they visited on their last trip.

Walking in, the bell over the door rang, and a waiter greeted them from behind the front counter. "Welcome to Aunt Pearl's. I'll be right with ya'." An older couple handed the man their bill and £40.

The restaurant was sparsely decorated, but cute nonetheless. White and red checkered tablecloths sat atop a dozen or so tables situated around the white-walled room. Along the wall behind the counter and all around the room were black and white pictures of the restaurant when it was first built and managed. Shifting her gaze, Hermione saw two or three overgrown plants that towered over the tables, desperately needing to be trimmed back. The room was riddled with history and Hermione instantly knew she liked the place.

"Just the three of you?" Harry nodded and the waiter grabbed three menus. "Follow me."

He led them to one of the few unoccupied table booths, against the back of the restaurant, and left to tend to other customers. After they had decided on their meal and their orders were taken, Harry spoke up.

"It feels weird to not be going back to Hogwarts, even though I didn't go last year."

Ron looked up. "I know. It's like I should be dreading school, but I've got no reason to."

"You guys could always go back with me," added Hermione, hopefully. "I'll need people to talk to."

"Nope."

"Not even for you, Hermione."

They laughed together. Even if they did go back to Hogwarts with her for their seventh years, Hermione would end up doing their homework anyway and being stressed out. The only reason they would ever have for returning would be Quidditch. Still, it didn't feel like Hogwarts without her best friends.

Suddenly serious, Harry and Ron assured her they would write everyday and she wouldn't ever be lonely. "We'll write so much, Hermione, you'll beg us to stop. There won't be enough time over breakfast to get all of your post, so the owls will follow you around Hogwarts," Ron told her.

". . . On second thought, maybe I'll make new friends," Hermione joked. The group laughed again.

"When do you guys start training?" She asked them.

"October 1st, although it's going to be awkward," Harry answered. "Kingsley already told me that I'll be made the head of the department as soon as I finish training in February, so Miles is just a stand in until I'm trained up." He shifted uncomfortably. "Its got to be weird to know you're training some kid who's immediately going to take your position."

They all knew Harry wasn't just "some kid" and that he was stronger in Defense Against the Dark Arts than many of the other trainees.

"You really can't understand what Miles is like until you meet him, 'Mione," Ron explained, "He has been wanted to be head of the department forever. Now that he has that position of power, he won't want to give it up."

"'Forever', Ron?"

"Well, no," he replied, "but for a really long time. You know what I mean."

Hermione considered this. So what if this Miles guy wanted to be head of the department? Kingsley was the Minister of Magic and his word came before everyone else's.

Sensing Hermione's gears were turning, Harry explained, "Miles is in charge of the drills and will probably be really hard on me. You know, giving me extra work, making an example out of me, that sort of thing."

Hermione was about to tell him that he would do just fine, but the surprised look on Ron's face stopped her. His gaze was set toward the front door, behind Hermione. She turned around and started to laugh at who just came through the front door. She wished she had a camera to capture this perfect moment.

"Welcome to Aunt Pearl's, be right with you," the waiter chimed. He turned around and a huge grin spread across his face.

"No need. I'm with them," spoke Nott, his eyes connecting with Hermione's. The usually impeccably dressed pureblood obviously never took Muggle Studies, as he wore green cat-eye sunglasses, a bright Hawaiian patterned shirt, and olive green corduroy short shorts that showed off his thighs. He had on a pair of white loafers to complete the look, as though he didn't have time to find matching shoes. The whole ensemble was hilarious to anyone with a shred of common sense.

He walked toward the table, his gaze serious, as though he didn't look like a complete wackjob. All conversations in the restaurant seemed to come to a halt as everyone turned to stare at his outfit. "You're a tough girl to find," he declared upon reaching the booth.

He stood at the table awkwardly, waiting for an invitation to sit. "Budge up," he said pointedly to Ron when he didn't receive one. After Ron moved over, Theo sat down.. Hermione and Harry were grinning from ear to ear. Theo cleared his throat and they snapped out of it.

"So. . . what? You want money? Is that why you're suddenly claiming your heritage," Theo bluntly asked Hermione. "Or is this a publicity stunt?"

Hermione sat back, definitely not thinking the situation was funny anymore. "How did you find out? Only my family is supposed to know I'm not a Grang-" She suddenly realized why Theo Nott was here. "No. . . I'm- I'm a Nott?" Ron and Harry realized this at the same time as she did and were lost for words.

Theo rolled his eyes. "Smartest witch of her age, huh? Catch up." Ron and Harry began to speak up at his obvious disrespect toward their friend when Nott continued, "Don't get your knickers in a twist, I was only joking."

They now noticed Theo was. . . smiling?

Hermione thought about why she claimed her heritage. She knew it wasn't for money or publicity like Theo suggested, but rather because she just needed to know. She couldn't live with herself if she didn't at least find out who her real family was. She voiced her thoughts to Theo.

"Okay, then," he replied easily after a moment's thought. "Come by the manor tomorrow."

Hermione scoffed. "What?"

"You didn't think it was that easy, did you?" he asked with a smirk. "The Nott family has to claim you back. I'll send an owl with the address." Completely ignoring the fact that Harry and Ron were sitting right there, he said, "Feel free to bring Pott-head and Weasel with you for _protection_," spitting the last word. At that, he stood back up, adjusted his short shorts, and walked through the silent crowd of tables, everybody's eyes on his retreating back.

"The nerve of that guy," Ron murmured.


	5. Anticipation

I do not own Harry Potter.

* * *

Hermione's seventh birthday is a day she will never forget.

In the days leading up to her party, she had spent an inordinate amount of time on creating dozens upon dozens of invitations, despite being told by her mom that they could just buy some cards to fill out. The memory of sitting in her room surrounded by construction paper was ingrained in her mind.

Realizing that some kids had particular tastes, she exhausted her entire inventory of stickers to decorate the invitations with everything from flowers, to airplanes, to dogs. Upon finishing, she realized she didn't know what to write down for the party, so she took five cards to her mom to fill out.

Jean Granger, thinking that her daughter was only inviting five people, happily obliged and wrote down their address, the time of the party, and a phone number to RSVP.

Hermione ran back upstairs with the newly filled out cards and proceeded to spend the next hour copying the symbols her mother had written down onto all of the other cards she had. She stuffed them into her backpack, excited to invite everyone she knew from school.

The next day, she handed out invitations to everyone in her class and thought to herself, _This is going to be the best birthday party I've ever had_.

A few days later, the weekend came and it was finally time to celebrate her birthday. A little while before it was supposed to start, Hermione could be found at the window overlooking the street to her house, waiting in anticipation. After an hour passed uneventfully, a few of her friends showed up, but it was definitely not the mass amount of people she was hoping for.

Her family managed to pry her away from the window to enjoy her party games, but nothing could distract her from the disappointment she felt. Why didn't everyone come to her party?

Her father brought out a strawberry vanilla cake covered in pink icing flowers and lit the candles for her. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to her and told her to blow out the candles, but she never believed that those wishes came true. She stood there, deep frown on her face, while everyone around her waited for her to make a wish.

"Hermione, dear," her father said, "What's the matter? Blow out the candles."

She turned to her mom in that moment and, surrounded by friends and family, she asked, "Why don't I have a brother or sister?" To a seven year old Hermione, siblings meant having more people at her parties.

Jean Granger, livid, took her out of the room to talk to her. She explained how she was very lucky to have Hermione, but couldn't have more kids. Hermione now knew that Jean Granger had had a string of miscarriages that dragged her through emotional turmoil.

After that point, Hermione gave up hope of ever having siblings.

Returning to Grimmauld Place after the celebratory dinner, Hermione walked up the rickety stairs to the room she was staying in, which was often the one Harry used when he used to stay at the Black home.

The portrait of Phineas Black was returned to the wall in the bedroom after they took him to the Forest of Dean, but Hermione didn't know why. Did Harry go out of his way to make sure Phineas was returned to the wall? She was rather creeped out by the idea of the man watching her change clothes, so she had covered the empty portrait up with a sheet on her first night.

She looked at the sheet on the wall and wondered if Phineas was in his Hogwarts frame. Drawn out of her thoughts by the empty suitcase in the corner of her room, she came back to the task at hand. Hermione would be leaving for Hogwarts in two days and she hadn't even begun packing her things. She _had _planned on using tomorrow to pack, but that was before Theo Nott invited her to his manor.

She groaned inwardly as she started pulling her books off the shelf in the small room. She really didn't want to go to the manor tomorrow, but knew she couldn't back down now. Hermione was a Gryffindor, which meant standing up to your fears and being brave. Hermione needed to ask all her questions before returning to school, for she wouldn't dare approach Theo once they got to Hogwarts; walking toward a group of Slytherins to ask personal family questions was just asking for trouble.

For all the questions she wanted to ask, there was one in particular that was the most pressing to her, although Hermione wasn't sure if she wanted the answer: if Dumbledore really intervened and took her from her real parents, why didn't the Notts come looking for her? There was no way Dumbledore could have altered the memories of an entire family and all their friends to have forgotten Hermione. It just wasn't possible. Were her real mom and dad evil enough to not care about her going missing?

If they were evil, she really didn't want to meet the rest of the family. Theo had mentioned that the Nott family had to accept her back, so how many Notts would be at the manor to greet her tomorrow? Despite having read many Sacred 28 books over the summer during her research, she really didn't know much about the present-day Notts.

All of her books were pretty outdated, so she knew they had a long history of being involved in the dark arts and . . . that was about it. According to Harry, Nott Sr. died in the Battle of Hogwarts and was one of the first Death Eaters. This was part of the reason Hermione was uneasy about the visit; such an evil person would undoubtedly have loads of dark artifacts in their manor.

Despite feeling uneasy, however, she didn't seem uncomfortable around Theo. She knew from seeing him with Draco that he was cold and calculating like all of Malfoy's friends, but he seemed different than them somehow. Less cold, if there was such a thing.

This is what gave her hope that her mom was a good person. After all, what were the chances Hermione was the only good person in the family?

She turned toward her shoes and was about to cast _Reducio_ on them when a sudden tapping noise startled her. Her attention was drawn toward the window, where a large brown screech owl was rapping on the window.

Hurrying over, she opened the window up and let the owl in. It flew to the bedpost at the foot of the bed and looked at Hermione, inviting her to take the letter tied to the leg. She unburdened the owl and softly pet it.

"You're a sweet thing, aren't you," she cooed to the owl.

Before opening the letter, she inspected the wax seal covering the close of the envelope, which seemed to be the family crest. Feathery designs fell down on either side of the main image: two wands crossed at the middle to form an 'X'. The wax Theo used was white, but Hermione knew the original crest was in black and green.

She'd seen the image in her books, but the seal had taken a completely different meaning now that she knew her lineage. If she had grown up with Theo, this crest would be ingrained in her memory and she wouldn't give it another second's thought. It really was a beautiful family emblem.

Hermione tore the letter around the crest to preserve her family coat of arms. After admiring the crest for a few more moments, she put it on her desk and opened the letter.

'_Hermione Nott,_

_980 Woodstock Road, Oxford. Be there about 12._

_Your brother, Theo_'

She ran her thumb over the first line. "Hermione Nott," she said aloud. It sounded weird on her tongue and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not. One thing she knew for certain? She wouldn't be changing her last name until she got married. Who did Theo think he was to imply she would take their last name? She wasn't even sure if she could tolerate the family yet.

Then there was the last line. He called himself her brother with such ease. Hermione had always been an only child with the Grangers, so having a brother was a foreign feeling (Granted, she did have Harry and Ron and the other Weasleys, but they weren't biological like Theo). Though it would be a long time before she would be calling him brother.

She set the letter down on the desk and took out her wand. She shrunk her books down and piled them next to her folded clothing. Hermione then took the wax family emblem off the desk and placed it inside her pocket. Theo's owl had flown out the window at some point while she was reading, so she zipped her luggage up and headed down the worn stairs.

Ron and Harry were sitting on the living room floor playing wizard chess in front of the fireplace. They both had looks of intense concentration on their faces and didn't seem to notice her entrance into the room. _Some things never change_, Hermione thought to herself.

"Who's winning?" she asked.

"Me in a few minutes," answered Harry, without looking up.

"Yeah- sure, Harry," Ron muttered.

Hermione smiled at that. Ron always won, but Harry was convinced he would beat him some day. "I'm going to Nott manor without you guys tomorrow."

For a moment, both of the boys were so absorbed in their game that they hadn't heard her. A few moments later, realizing what she had said, they looked up abruptly, protests rising to their lips and chess pieces abandoned.

"Before you guys can say anything," she spoke quickly, "I can take care of myself. I really think I need to do this on my own."

_Besides, showing up with protection will make me appear weak_, Hermione finished in her head.

If there was one thing Hermione wasn't, it was weak.

"Oh, come on. You don't have to do this by yourself," Harry pleaded.

Ron jumped in, "Yeah- wait. I got an idea. Me and Harry will be behind you in the cloak and you won't even know we're there-"

"-Yeah! And we'll only be there for protection if you need it. Nothing else," Harry added.

Hermione looked at these two boys who were seeking her approval over their ideas and smiled internally. She was glad they cared about her enough to be so concerned over her safety, but it's like they didn't know her at all sometimes. Stubborn Hermione had her mind made up before entering the living room and this meant her mind wouldn't be changed.

Hermione remembered when almost every one of their plans involved the invisibility cloak, but also knew they had matured a lot since then. While it was a valuable resource for the trio to have, she was certain everyone expected it by this point. Hermione wouldn't be surprised if Theo and the other Slytherins knew about the invisibility cloak.

"No. I'm sorry. That's both unnecessary and a terrible plan." (_Wow_, she thought to herself. _When did I become so cruel?_) "You guys could fit together under the cloak when you were 13, but now I don't think you can. Even if you could, I can protect myself."

The boys looked at each other before turning back toward Hermione. They seemed confused at her sudden cold reply, but didn't want to mention anything in front of her. She knew they would be talking about her once she left the room. "Fine. Just . . . be careful tomorrow, 'Mione," Ron cautioned. Harry uttered a similar sentiment.

Returning to her bedroom a few hours later for bed, Hermione realized she wasn't as anxious for tomorrow as she had been before. In fact, she was rather excited to finally have some of her questions answered. She fell asleep that night with her family crest between her fingers, unanswered questions buzzing around her tired mind.


	6. Answers

The day has come! More snarky Theo in this chapter, with a. . . sweet side?

Still don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

After a quick breakfast and cup of tea the next morning, Hermione found herself in Oxford admiring the elegant, colonial-style architecture of the Nott manor.

The home was three stories high and painted in a clean, eggshell-white that contrasted well with the dark grey roof. Large windows with shutters were well distributed among the front of the building and Hermione instantly knew that there must be natural light in every room. Leading up to the front patio, which wrapped around the building, was a wide, straight path framed with box hedges. Around the lawn were various types of topiary trees and small shrubs that were clipped cleanly to perfection. The expansive lawn and elegant colonial home sat behind a grey, iron-wrought fence that stood roughly 4 feet high, but didn't make the home feel cold or uninviting; in truth, Hermione was taken in by the view and momentarily forgot the coldness of the individuals that once inhabited the manor.

She was appreciating the pink peonies in the yard when she heard the front door to the manor open.

"Are you coming in anytime soon?" Theo smirked at her while holding the door.

Hermione blushed. She didn't want to appear impressed with the manor, but she couldn't help herself. "Yes. I apologize." She walked up the front steps and went past him into the front hall.

This room was just as impressive as the exterior and was instantly captivating. Directly in front of the entrance stood a wide, wooden staircase in the middle of the room and scattered around the entry hall, beautiful floral arrangements and statues sat atop golden accent tables. Looking up, she saw an expensive glass chandelier suspended from the high ceiling and noticed that, again, the walls were plain white, which surprised Hermione. She expected the Nott home to be a dark and dreary place, but her expectations had to be discarded before she even explored the building.

"If you're going to spend an hour in every room, I'm going to have to make this a self-guided tour," Theo told her lightly.

She looked around for other people she might have overlooked and noted that Theo was the only other person in the room. He had told her the rest of the family had to accept her, so she was a little confused. "Where are the other Notts?"

Theo moved into the room and slipped his hand onto the staircase banister. "Oh, you know. Here and there. Azkaban. Mostly dead," he replied with ease. He was toying with her and she knew it.

Okay. So she wouldn't have to meet a bunch of strangers at once. _Good_, she thought to herself. That was the single scariest aspect of today and she wouldn't have to deal with it.

"This is a very. . . lightly decorated home. I can't imagine Nott Senior walking past pink peonies on his way to death eater meetings," Hermione wondered aloud.

He was quiet for a moment. "If you're going to be around Slytherins, you need to start getting your information in more subtle ways." Theo moved from the banister toward a pair of double doors that she just noticed. He didn't answer her implied question, but there was a sparkle in his eyes that told her he thought her imagery was funny.

Hermione followed obediently, not having to be told this time.

The next room off of the entry hall appeared to be a ballroom, as it was devoid of any furniture. Large, sweeping emerald green curtains drew the eye out into the courtyard and toward the garden plants outside the windows along the walls. Beautiful white marble covered the floor, matching the white, Roman-style marble columns along the sides of the room. To add a touch of color in the brightness, the walls were clad in light green paneling. Four white, modern chandeliers with emerald accents hung down from the tall ceiling. It was absolutely exquisite.

Theo looked unimpressed. "This is where we had balls." His voice spoke volumes about how he felt about said balls.

Hermione remained quiet at that. She remembered the Yule Ball and how excited she was about the prospect of dressing up nice and being someone's date. Had she grown up a Nott, she would have had balls like that every year. Her life was so different than Theo's.

"We're so different," she stated without thinking. _Way to state the obvious, Hermione_. She internally smacked herself.

Theo's face remained unreadable as he gestured toward a door on the left wall. He wasn't even going to acknowledge Hermione's blunt observations. "After you?"

Over the next hour, Theo took Hermione through a series of rooms that only served to highlight her before statement. They were _so _different. Hermione remembered the home she grew up in with the Granger family, which only had two bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, and living room. This home had crossed the line into being excessive. Over the hour, they had gone through six bedrooms, two kitchens, three bathrooms, and three sitting rooms.

Hermione was overwhelmed and they weren't even done yet. She felt like she would collapse with fatigue. "How much more of this, Theo?"

He stopped on his way to the next room and turned around. "You're tired already?" He seemed genuinely surprised.

She was gobsmacked. "Um, YES- I am tired. How are you still standing?"

He thought her question over. "I guess I'm just used to it. Anyway, you're going to want to scrape some energy together for this next room."

Hermione perked up at this. Thus far, she'd seen many gorgeous rooms, but he seemed to treat this room differently. He hesitated at the door knob, as though he wanted to make sure she was paying attention.

She straightened up and nodded at him, signaling she was ready for whatever this next room contained.

Theo carefully opened the door while watching Hermione's face. Stepping in, she noted the room was quite ordinary and small in appearance and stood out from the rest of the home. Rather than chandeliers, this room was lit by a single, screwed-in light bulb that cast yellow light along the plain walls. Instead of expensive leather furniture, the room's only contents were stacked, unlabeled boxes and a single fold-up chair in the corner. Everything in the room was covered in a thick layer of dust, except the chair.

_Theo was anticipating this room_, Hermione thought to herself. _He must have come in here recently to prepare for the tour he gave me today._

Theo was watching her closely. "Perfect. . . You're figuring things out without asking questions." He glanced toward the nearest box, inviting her to explore its contents, as he sat down in the chair.

Hermione, having gained much trust in Theo over the course of the day, walked toward the box and opened its flaps. She gasped.

Inside the box were hundreds of photos of a woman who looked remarkably similar to Hermione. The woman had light brown eyes, curly hair, and a genuinely friendly face. If Hermione's nose was wider and her eyebrows thicker, she could have passed for this woman. Hermione knew this must be her real mother.

In most photos, she wore the Beauxbatons uniform and stood in beautiful settings Hermione was unfamiliar with. Examining the backgrounds of the photos, she saw marble statues, trimmed hedges, gold room accents, and winding staircases, which led her to her next observation: this must be Beauxbatons Academy. She looked up with the unsaid question on her lips.

"No, she wasn't French," Theo answered, "Mom was placed there because Grandmother and Grandfather didn't like Dumbledore as a professor and certainly didn't want their daughter at a school where he was headmaster."

She sifted through the pictures and came to one she couldn't help but admire. In it, her birth mother was sitting in an elegant fountain with a grin on her face, surrounded by laughing friends. She moved to stand up and fell back into the fountain, splashing water on everyone around her. Her mother looked. . . happy. Hermione smiled.

"What was her name?" Hermione asked softly, her eyes glued to the moving photograph.

"Julia," he answered, his voice barely audible. He stood up from the chair and moved to stand next to her to admire the pictures. "I don't know why I never noticed how similar you guys look."

She placed the photo on an unopened box and continued looking. The next photograph that captured Hermione's attention was the first she'd seen Nott Sr. in. His cropped black hair and unpleasant features were a stark contrast to the curly haired witch beside him, who seemed to always be smiling. The couple appeared to have only just met, as they were obviously uncomfortably smitten with each other. In the photo, the two sat on a park bench as Nott hesitantly inched his hand toward Julia's. At the very last second, Julia grabbed his hand assertively and kissed his cheek confidently. She had a wild grin on her face.

Theo smiled. His mom's bravery could rivel Hermione's. "They met after school," he explained, "Mom came back to England to become a journalist and was in The Daily Prophet office building to ask about openings when she saw him. He was there to threaten a writer that published an article spreading rumors about the Nott family."

"How romantic," she sarcastically added.

"Yeah. Anyway, they went on a few dates, started a relationship, and the rest was history," Theo concluded.

Hermione appreciated Theo's comments. He seemed to know exactly the type of information she wanted about her mother. From what she'd heard so far, she wondered what her mother ever saw in her father.

The next photo she grabbed was a wedding photo. Her mother looked absolutely breathtaking in a trailing lace dress and gorgeous veil flipped back to reveal her ever smiling face. Her bouquet was made up of several pastel pink peonies and sprigs of baby's breath. Across from Julia and saying the last part of his vows, Hermione and Theo's father looked the happiest they had ever seen him. His face, usually turned up into a snarl, was relaxed and the sparkle in his eyes almost couldn't be contained. As he finished putting the emerald wedding ring on his wife's finger, they eagerly kissed.

_How did this man ever become a Death Eater_, Hermione questioned in her head.

"Thank you, Theo. I have some idea of who she was, now," Hermione said.

He looked at her for a few moments and walked toward a box near the back wall. Unfolding the flaps and digging around, he pulled out an old-fashioned jewelry box and handed it to Hermione.

"These aren't really my style," Theo joked, although his tone was unwavering. "And anyway, she would have wanted you to have them."

Hermione had a slight smile on her face as she took the jewelry box to the chair. She sat down, wiped the dust from her hands, and opened the ornate box on her lap. Inside were dozens of emerald rings, necklaces, and earrings with silver accents. Most of the boxes' contents were bulky, upscale pieces that appeared to cost more money than Mr. and Mrs. Granger's yearly salary combined. However, among them all was a single necklace with a simple round ruby, out of place among the other pieces of jewelry. Hermione, glad to see a charm had been placed on the box to keep the contents from tangling, pulled the different necklace out of the others and closed the lid.

Theo reached for the necklace and clasped in around Hermione's neck once she stood up. She stretched a hand toward the single ruby that sat against her collarbone and smiled. Turning around, she surprised Theo with a hug. He stiffened up with shock before relaxing into her embrace. For the first few moments, no words were necessary.

"Erm, Hermione?" He asked, still being clutched.

"Hm?" She still hadn't let go.

"I know Potter and Wea- Harry and Ron aren't going back to Hogwarts. If you ever need someone, I'll be close by," he muttered sheepishly.

She let go of Theo and smiled with him at arm's length. "Perfect. . .You're figuring out how to express emotion." Hermione smirked and walked out of the dusty room without waiting for a reply.


	7. Commitment

I won't go through every individual comment and respond to them here, but just know I appreciate all your kind words! In particular, kabg01's comment has stuck with me this last week. I started writing this because I've read pretty much every "Hermione is a Nott" story on this site, so your comment was well appreciated. :)

As always, thank you NinjaDevil2000!

The status as of now: still don't own Harry Potter

* * *

Hermione was five years old when she tried to run away from home. A year ago, she would have recalled the memory with a smile, but recent events turned that outlook upside down.

It was around 5 o'clock that afternoon, and she sat curled up on her father's lap. She had begged the older man to help her practice reading and he gladly obliged. The book was one of Hermione's favorites at the time and she was completely absorbed in the pages when her mother called them in for dinner. Hermione, just as stubborn at age 5 as she was at age 17, wanted to finish the story so had begun arguing with her father. Mr. Granger looked at his argumentative, beautifully smart daughter and smiled, which only served to anger Hermione.

With a sudden plan, the six year old girl straightened up. "Sorry, Daddy. I'll be good." She pulled her face into the most convincing guilt face she could muster. Her father seemed pleased she had the self discipline to correct herself and went into the kitchen, leaving Hermione alone.

She grabbed the book and snuck toward the door as stealthily as she could, quietly slipping through it. As soon as she was outside, she ran. _I'll show them_, she had thought to herself at the time.

After what seemed like an hour of running for her little legs, she looked around and realized she didn't know where she was. She was on some sort of shop-lined street that her family didn't travel through.

An older woman approached her on the sidewalk. "Are you lost, young lady?" She had a kind face and smelled like butterscotch candies.

Hermione trusted the woman, but wasn't over her anger at her parents just yet. She quickly thought up a response. "No. They're in this shop. Thank you!" Running through the shop door, she turned around and with a sigh of relief, realized the woman had bought her story.

The shop she had run into was a packed coffee shop. To blend in, she jumped into the end of the queue.

An hour later, the Grangers found their daughter, hot chocolate in hand, sitting with a couple and discussing her favorite books she had read with her daddy.

Mr. Granger, of course, received an ear-full from his wife about being manipulated by a 6 year old.

Hermione reminiscenced with a deep frown. She wished she could tell her younger self she was lucky to have the parents she did; that someday, she wouldn't have Mum and Dad.

After the tour of Nott manor, Hermione and Theo sat down at the end of the long table for a late lunch in the dining room, catered by his three house elves.

Theo looked at Hermione nervously. "You're not still into that SPEW thing are you?"

"S-P-E-W," she corrected, "and no." She was surprised the Slytherins even remembered her activist phrase. After explaining how she realized house elves like having jobs and families to serve, she shifted in her seat.

". . . I still have questions, Theo."

He had been fully expecting this and already had a response ready. "Usually I don't condone such openness," he seemed to hesitate, "but ask your questions. I'll answer them to the best of my ability."

Not wanting to waste any time or give Theo a chance to change his mind, she immediately jumped in with a question. "Why didn't they look for me?" She grew quiet, afraid of the answer.

"They did for a couple years. After Mum died, though, father withdrew from everything, including the search. He was in a dark place for several years," Theo answered honestly.

Hermione looked down the length of the table. She didn't want to ask her next question, but she needed answers. "How did she die?"

Theo didn't look uncomfortable in the slightest. He knew she'd ask this question eventually. "Pneumonia. Wizard healers are great at treating magical problems, but not muggle ones." When she remained silent, Theo continued. "Nobody at St. Mungos knew what it was. Apparently, it's rare in the wizarding population. Father refused to take her to a muggle healer and we only learned what it was years later."

_How infuriating_, Hermione thought to herself. She suddenly remembered the thestral Care of Magical Creatures lesson and how Theo was one of the only people able to see the creatures. "You watched her pass, didn't you?"

Theo nodded solemnly, his face still in an emotionless mask despite the conversation's unexpected turn.

The house elves came to the table with lemonade for the Nott siblings and a pile of sandwiches on a gold platter. Hermione thanked them and began to eat her lunch in silence. After a few moments of silence, Theo grabbed a cheese and onion sandwich from the platter.

Hermione's lemonade was half gone when she found the courage to speak. "Was she a good person?"

Successfully drawn out of his thoughts, Theo answered almost immediately, "Absolutely. I was only a little kid when she died, but I remember her presence around the manor as though it were yesterday."

Hermione was glad to know she wasn't an outcast in her biological family. She trusted Theo, so to know her mother was a good person gave her a sigh of relief. Suddenly, being a Nott wasn't such a bad thing. From Theo's stories to the pictures she saw, it seemed as though her mother was a ray of sunshine in this ancient family.

Theo's faint smile faded as he sobered. "I need to talk to you about something."

Hermione didn't take his tone seriously until she looked over at his face. Upon realizing this was important, she straightened up and gave him all her attention.

"I need to talk to you about taking the Nott name," he cautiously told her. He kept his gaze to her face and hoped she wouldn't immediately leave.

"Explain." she deadpanned. She would at least give him a chance.

"Okay." He was stunned and it definitely showed. For a moment, his mask of indifference disappeared, but it almost immediately returned. "The _main_ reason is because you are entitled to more with my last name, namely real estate and part of our vaults."

This home was beautiful in every way, but not exactly what she could imagine living in for the rest of her life. Although it was a cliche, she always imagined herself living in a small cottage that she spent great time renovating and fixing up. After making it her dream home, she would spend weekends off from work outside in the flower beds working on her garden or inside the home reading. At the risk of sounding ungrateful, she thought the Nott manor was too big and therefore, rather impersonal. Now, access to the vaults? She could see herself utilizing the wealth of the Notts for charity or even a cottage. Hermione kept silent, allowing him to continue.

He expected her to jump in and start debating his point. It appeared at though Hermione had matured quite a bit.

"My other reason is that you have done a lot of great things and my family is known for, well," he tried to think of the best way to phrase his thoughts, "my family is known for evil. You could help restore the Nott family's reputation."

She wondered if she had done nearly enough good to restore the Nott name and had quite a few doubts. Yes, she played an important role in the downfall of Voldemort, but she thought she'd be living a normal life from now on. Hermione couldn't see herself taking down evil wizards every week, which is what she thought it would take to restore the Nott family's reputation.

Hermione was quiet for several moments, which was shocking for all the information she had just received. "I'm still attached to my last name. The Grangers raised me and even though they aren't my real parents, I still love them." _Yes_, she thought to herself, _he won't be able to come up with an argument against that_.

However, Theo was ready with an answer. "I understand."

He pretended to be deep in thought for a few moments, but had a plan in place. "I know _our _mother didn't like the last name either. She was always accused of being evil because of the connotations it was associated with. _She_ stood beside our family anyway and kept the last name." He tried to hide his smirk. He knew emotion was the best way to get what you wanted from Gryffindors.

Hermione didn't understand his manipulation, but knew he was on to something. "I- I'm not-" she took a deep breath, "- I'm not saying I don't want to be a Nott because of our evil ancestors. I just. . ."

"Don't want to deal with the consequences? Have to talk to journalists and get constant attention? Officially have a new family identity?" Theo suggested.

Hermione was quiet, so he assumed his suggestions were correct. "You will still be the golden girl of Gryffindor, Hermione."

She couldn't quite explain why, but Theo could be astonishingly persuasive when he wanted to be. Thinking about the points he made, Hermione was torn. On the logical side of things, she could totally see herself being a Nott. Really, there wasn't any reason for her to be a Granger if it wasn't helping her. She knew the Nott name could certainly help her after she graduated; with all the money in the Nott vaults, the possibilities were limitless.

On the other hand, she was a Granger. She always would be. . . right? Despite Theo's assurances that she'd be the same person, she doubted the truth of his words. Her mind went back to Theo's story about their mother and how she struggled with their last name. Somehow, she knew she needed to stand by Theo and their mother. It wasn't right that they were treated unfairly at times because of their family history. It wasn't right.

Hermione knew what she needed to do.

Theo sat patiently and waited for Hermione's gears to stop turning. He hoped she would take their name, but knew he couldn't force her into such a big decision.

"Alright," Hermione resigned.

He kept his face neutral to avoid revealing the shock he had. She had _actually_ agreed.

Over the next hour, they discussed what to do next and how best to handle media, which Hermione was not looking forward to. Her memories of receiving hate mail came back to haunt her and she worried about it happening again. Theo and her had agreed it would be best to talk to a journalist before leaving for Hogwarts. In any case, thanks to the security of Hogwarts, she would be safe from surprise interviews when in public.

Later that day after Hermione left, Theo went up to his bedroom and grabbed a lone piece of paper from his bed. He had only received it recently, but had already reread it several times to the point of memorization.

_Mr. Nott,_

_I am sending this letter to inform you that I am aware of Miss Granger's new situation and the relationship you two now share. Prior to Dumbledore's passing, he signed in a decree that will require Hermione to be resorted at the welcome feast. There is no action I can take to prevent this on such short notice. Family ties now known, there is a possibility of her being sorted into Slytherin._

_I ask of you, Mr. Nott, to please consider this and form a bond with her. There is a strong chance that, sorted into Slytherin, you will be her only ally. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Headmistress Minevra McGonagall_

* * *

!


	8. Blackmail

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx said it best: things are about to get spicy.

+A guest said "Good to know Theo is all Slytherin", which is a very appreciated comment. It's a pet peeve of mine when fanfic Slytherins are like, "Oh. Are you taking advaantage of me? I can't tell- I have no concept of manipulation or cunning."

Next chapter is the return to Hogwarts! Don't own HP, never will.

* * *

Hermione rolled over in bed and blinked a few times to clear her eyes. For a blissful moment, her to-do list was gone and life was simple. A glance at her packed suitcase reminded her of Theodore Nott and her approaching departure for school. She was giddy to be back in Gryffindor tower tomorrow night, but first she had to get through today.

Groaning, she got up, made her bed, and began getting dressed.

She hated to admit it, but she'd been neglecting the Weasley family. After all they'd done for her this summer, she hadn't even told them she was a Nott. In her defense, it wasn't deliberate. She had just had so much on her mind, that she genuinely forgot.

Hermione went down the worn stairs two at a time on her way to the kitchen. She really just needed to get today over with.

When she walked through the kitchen, Harry and Ron were sitting at the table, sausage and eggs on their plates. Hermione usually made breakfast, but she was glad Harry had the forethought to cook for her today.

Hermione sat down without a word and began filling a plate for herself.

"Thank you guys for doing this with me today," she said after a while.

Having shoveled a fork full of eggs into his mouth moments earlier, Ron garbled his words, sending food particles flying across the table, "Uf courz we werguna gowit-"

"-What?" Hermione asked.

"Zorry-" Ron took a few seconds to chew his food, "-Of course we were gonna go with you. We don't know how the woman is going to react. She can be bloody unpredictable."

That was true, but Hermione wasn't worried about the reaction like Ron was. She knew Molly would accept her.

After breakfast, the trio flooed to the Burrow. Expectedly, Molly Weasley was still cooking breakfast for the family, although the table was overladen and nobody was around.

"Hey, Mrs. Weasley," Harry chirped. She hadn't seemed to notice they came in.

"Oh!" Molly exclaimed, jumping a few inches on surprise. She turned around and wiped her brow with the back of her hand, smearing flour across her forehead. "Finally decide to visit me?"

They were quiet. Molly Weasley could make any person silent, and the trio was worried for what came next.

She looked at each one of them carefully, willing them to speak. First she looked at Ron, glaring into his eyes for what seemed like minutes. Ron's face changed to guilt and he cast his eyes downward. Peeling her eyes away, Molly turned to Harry, her gaze softer but stern all the same. As Molly focused on Hermione, her nonverbal tone had changed completely. It seemed as though she was disappointed, rather than mad, which made Hermione feel even worse.

When none of them spoke up, and the silence had reached an unbearable point, Molly turned around. With her back to them, she rested her hands against the counter and sighed. "Oh, for heaven's sake. It's not like I'm asking you all to move back in. I just. . . I need to see my kids every once in a while." They knew she was on the verge of tears.

The trio exchanged nervous glances behind Mrs. Weasley's back.

"Mrs. Weasley," Hermione started lightly, ". . . I found out why the Grangers don't remember me."

Molly turned around to look at the younger girl and cleared her throat. "Well? Go on, then."

And so Hermione began to talk, starting from the beginning of her summer and ending at the present. She talked about her frustration with her choices of books and how unexpected Harry's help was. Hermione told her about going to the ministry and receiving Dumbledore's letter to drinking the potion and learning her heritage. When she told she was a Nott, the older woman was completely shocked, but allowed her to continue the story. Hermione finished by telling them all about visiting Nott manor and the unexpected sweet side of Theo Nott.

"Hm." Molly wiped her hands on her apron. "I'll have to ask Arthur why he didn't tell you about the Memory Charm Reversal Squad. Seems odd." She became lost in thought.

Harry shifted. "So you see, Mrs. Weasley? We've been awful busy with this lately a-"

"-Now, Harry, I see that Hermione has been busy, but you young men have no excuse." Harry shrunk back, already regretting his words. "You didn't go to Nott manor yesterday with her, so tell me: what were you doing yesterday? That would have been a great time to come over."

Hermione stifled a laugh. The day before, Harry and Ron had wasted the majority of their day on wizard chess, before going to Diagon Alley Quidditch shop.

The two boys muttered something about boggart removal before trying to change the subject back to Hermione.

"Yes. That's what I thought," Molly nodded, unconvinced. Facing Hermione, Molly apologized. "I didn't know you were going through all that, dear. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione smiled at Molly and hoped all was forgiven.

They sat down around the table for some orange juice, discussing the implications of Hermione's heritage as well as her next steps. Molly had been like a mother for Hermione over the last several years, so it felt nice to finally relax her guard and confide in the woman.

Their conversation was actually very enlightening for Hermione. Mrs. Weasley, although never having met her mother, could tell her all about Nott Sr. because of the Order. Most of it Hermione had already learned through Theo, but it was interesting to hear about her family's wrong doings from an outsider.

After at least an hour had passed by, Hermione glanced up at the clock on the wall. "Oh! I have an interview with a reporter in half an hour!" she exclaimed. Jumping to her feet, she put her glass in the sink and turned to hug Molly.

"Thank you for understanding," Hermione whispered into Molly's shoulder.

"Anytime, dear," the older woman replied kindly. She let go of Hermione and nudged her toward the door. "Now shoo! You have an interview to get to."

Soon after leaving the Burrow, Hermione found herself back inside Nott manor in one of the home's many sitting rooms. She had seen this room during Theo's guided tour, but was exhausted at the time and didn't get a good look.

On the far end of the room, an extravagant, white and black fireplace sat flush against the wall, its flames warming the moderately-sized room. On either side, two white leather sofas sat facing each other, a black coffee table in between. In addition, various bookshelves were situated around the walls, interrupting the occasional picture frame. The whole room was tied together with a dark blue, vintage silk rug and matching blue curtains covering the two windows on either side of the fireplace.

Hermione sat down on one of the couches with Theo as they waited for the reporter to arrive.

The Nott siblings had agreed the manor would be the best place for the interview to be conducted to ensure maximum privacy and safety. Besides, making a reporter uncomfortable by being in an "evil" home would be hilarious.

Around ten minutes passed by slowly, interrupted occasionally by the Nott siblings' small talk. Finally, one of the house-elves walked in with a tall wizard following closely behind. The elf left without a comment as the man moved into the room and took a seat on the sofa opposite to the Notts.

What drew Hermione in about the man was his pointed features, which seemed to be his best attribute. Slate grey eyes peeked through at Hermione and Theo through a veil of ashy brown hair that trailed to his shoulders. He was clad in plain black robes that concealed his frame, but it was clear he was fit. A grey satchel was slung over his left shoulder, bulging with papers. Hermione sat there staring at the man awkwardly before Theo cleared his throat.

"Hello," he said standing up to shake the stranger's hand, "My name is Theo and this is my sister, Hermione."

"Ah, of course. I have heard much about both of you." The man shook Theo's hand with a firm grip, but deliberately avoided Hermione's eyes. "The name's Paul Lockwood."

Theo waved his hand toward the unoccupied sofa, inviting Paul to sit. The stranger sat down and began digging around in his satchel.

The room was silent. "So, uh. . ." Theo shifted uncomfortably. "We were under the impression Rita Skeeter would be meeting us. She has always been interested in. . . Hermione's personal life."

Paul looked up and let out a heavy breath. "Yes, well. _Hermione_'s reputation precedes her." He still was avoiding eye contact with her. "The secretary told Rita that you requested an interview with a reporter, and Rita told her to give it to someone else. It had to do with something about blackmail?" The two teenagers exchanged subtle glances, surprised at how open Paul was. He continued to dig in his bag and produced a pen and paper.

Hermione smiled lightly. It seemed as though Rita still remembered Hermione knew her animagus secret. She was glad that bit of information paid off in the long run. They wouldn't have to put up with Skeeter for the interview or worry about false details in the story.

Theo looked over at her again, puzzled. Blackmail? Hermione? He didn't know the details just yet, but perhaps she _would_ do well in Slytherin if that was where she was re-sorted.

"Later," she whispered to Theo.

Hermione saw Paul had a pen and paper, rather than quill and parchment, and sent a curious look his way.

The reporter seemed annoyed for having to explain. "Yes. I use a pen and paper. I'm a half blood. Carrying around ink, quills, and rolled up parchment is a ridiculous," he huffed. "Now, if we could get on with the interview, I would appreciate it."

Theo and Hermione nodded obediently.

"Alright, so start from the beginning, Hermione," he actually looked at her this time, but only briefly. Whatever Rita Skeeter told him about Hermione, made him fear her. "How did you learn you were a Nott?"

As she had already done once that day, she started from the beginning. She told Paul about the Memory Charm Reversal Squad and her visit with Harry. Outlining that day, Hermione spoke of the fear she felt and reality of learning she wasn't actually related to her "parents".

"I didn't know how to act normal the next day. Every time I tried to take my mind off of it, I was back in that crowded room, being told I'm a pureblood with completely different parents."

Hermione told Paul about the disgusting potion she had to take and shock of seeing Theo walk through the restaurant door. Once she had finished, she grew quiet to allow Paul to finish writing.

He looked up thoughtfully and after a few moments of staring at the ceiling, let his gaze drift back toward the paper. He wrote quickly and with a renewed sense of urgency.

Once he had wrote down his thoughts, he glanced at Hermione. "Was this worth it?"

Hermione didn't even need to think about that question. "Yes, of course. I have the support of Theo now and get to learn all about my family."

One of Paul's eyebrows shot up as he quirked a response. "And what _do _you think of your new family? The Nott last name has a certain. . . reputation associated with it."

"Ah," Theo rose his voice. "We won't be discussing such matters. Please withdraw the question." Although he said 'please', they all knew he wouldn't take no for an answer

Paul's cheeks grew pink. "I'm a reporter. If there's a story there, I wish to report it."

Scooting forward on the couch to get closer to Paul, Theo shot him a venomous look and repeated himself. "We won't be discussing such matters. Please withdraw your question."

Understanding the power Theo had at the moment, Paul backed down and sheepishly muttered that he withdrew the question.

"Okay," Paul continued as though nothing had happened. "Moving on, then. Do you still consider yourself to be a Granger?"

She gave this question some thought before replying, "I have been a Granger all my life and I love the family for the care they gave me, even if they didn't know I wasn't actually their daughter. They raised me well and with plenty of love." She thought for a few moments whether or not to say her next words. She looked to Theo for reassurance and he nodded. ". . . However, I will be taking the Nott name. Actually, I'll be a Nott by the time you publish the article."

Paul looked up with surprise. The Nott siblings had finally given him a headline for his story. "Wow. That's a bold move. I don't suppose I could ask you to hold off on changing your name until _after_ the article is published?" He looked to Theo for approval like a child seeking consent from a parent.

Theo's face was unreadable as he shook his head. He stood up from the white couch and left the room. He returned seconds later with a folder and quill. As he sat back down next to Hermione, his eyes never leaving Paul's, he took some pieces of official-looking parchment out of the folder and handed them to his sister. They were name change forms.

"I see," Paul said quietly with his eyes on the folder. He had gotten it all wrong. It wasn't Hermione he should be wary of: it was Theodore Nott.

"Any more questions?" Theo asked Paul.

"One. What do you plan to do after Hogwarts, Miss _Nott_?"

Looking up from the forms, Hermione answered, "I'm going to be a healer."

Paul gathered his papers up and capped his pen. Once his belongings were put away into his satchel, Theo told him that Hermione would need to look over the article before he published it. Paul nodded, knowing he shouldn't disagree at this point.

After he left, Theo turned to Hermione. "Did you really blackmail Rita Skeeter?"

She grinned, which gave him the answer. "Let's fill out some forms."

* * *

Next chapter is the return to Hogwarts!


	9. Change

It's great to know you guys enjoyed the last chapter (kinda felt like filler to me). My external writing is quite a bit ahead of chapter 9 here, so for the past several weeks, Hermione has already been at Hogwarts to me. Excited to see what you guys think now that the plot is really moving forward here and you're getting caught up.

As always, thank you to my beta NinjaDevil2000.

* * *

The next morning, Hermione couldn't keep the smile off her face. This was the day.

She got dressed in her muggle clothes before making sure she had everything she needed. She opened the door to leave the room and a flash went off. She yelped, stumbling backward.

Harry stood in the hallway, camera in his hand and Ron by his side.

"Last year of Hogwarts! Are you excited?" Harry asked. He had a James-like grin on his face.

She caught herself before falling and blinked her eyes to recover from the flash. "I dunno, but I take it _you guys_ are excited."

Of course they were excited. They were proud of her for going back to complete her schooling. Harry and Ron hooked their arms around her own so that she stood in between them as they walked with her down the stairs. Hermione laughed; they were acting like goofy parents.

Once they reached the kitchen door, she began to smell freshly cooked eggs and sausage. Upon entering, Hermione saw that they had cooked a huge breakfast for her. Ron pulled a chair out from the dining table for her and she sat down.

"You guys didn't have to do this for me," she sputtered. She knew she would miss them, but now leaving them seemed more real.

Harry and Ron smiled and sat down with her. The boys began loading their plates full, but Hermione didn't know where to start. Every breakfast item she could think of was on the table and it all looked too good. She put a little bit of everything on her plate and started to eat.

"Who are you going to hang out with this year?" Ron asked.

She had been thinking about that. Without Harry or Ron there, she didn't have many options. "I probably won't have much time to socialize. I'll need to study for N.E.W.T.s."

"Oh come on, Hermione. You'll need to talk to somebody," Ron stressed.

She doubted that, but satisfied him with a response anyway. "Well, if I socialize with anyone, I'd probably send you two a letter. Ginny seems to have her own crowd."

Finishing their meal, Harry ran upstairs to retrieve her trunk. He would have cast 'accio', but Hermione didn't want him to potentially hurt her books. Once they were all gathered by the door, they departed for Kings Cross.

The young wizards and witches leaving for Hogwarts couldn't keep their eyes off the trio once they had crossed the brick barrier between the muggle and wizarding worlds. Parents across the platform told their kids off, telling them not to stare.

Ron and Harry had just turned to say their goodbyes to Hermione when Theo came up behind her.

"Hey," Theo said.

"Dressed normally this time, I see," Harry laughed at him.

Theo ignored his comment. "If you need somewhere to sit, my compartment will have a seat for you."

"I have to go to the head's compartment," she told him sadly. This was the moment reality set in for Hermione. She wanted to get to know her brother, who seemed genuine, but they wouldn't ever be able to hang out at Hogwarts. She just couldn't see herself spending time around his friends- family relation to Theo or not.

"Oh! Yeah, I knew that. Draco told me couldn't be in the compartment this year either." Theo sucked in a breath. Oops.

Her face paled. "Malfoy is the other head?" Of course. He was always right behind her when it came to academics.

"I better walk away. I'll see you when we get to school," Theo told her. Hermione watched Theo walk away. He joined Malfoy and the other Slytherin group on the other side of the platform.

Draco's head turned, his eyes connecting with Hermione's. Her eyes widened and she turned back toward Harry and Ron. Theo had promised her that he wouldn't tell anyone about their relation, so she wondered how he explained the last few moments to his friends. The Slytherins would certainly wonder why Theo had approached Harry, Ron, and Hermione, right? Had Draco already figured it out?

"Well," Ron sighed, taking her out of her thoughts, "I guess this is it."

"Yeah," she said, echoing his tone. Overtaken with emotion, she hugged them for what seemed like several minutes.

Harry eventually brought out his head from her voluptuous hair. "I'll be there soon, Hermione. McGonagall invited me to come talk to their Defense classes as a guest speaker."

"Oh! Great!" Hermione smiled, releasing them from the hug. "But you'll write every day anyway, right?"

"Absolutely," he replied. "Besides, I'm sure you'll want to complain about your fellow head to _somebody_."

They all hugged once again. The train gave out a loud whistle, drawing them apart. She grabbed the handle of her luggage and set off for the train.

Once aboard, she found the compartment with a golden plaque, reading: 'Head's Department'. The compartment was empty when she entered, so she had time to admire the small room. Unlike the other chambers in the train, this one had newer, black fabric seats and gold embellishments around the windows. The black and gold storage area above the window had an expansion charm on it as well.

Hermione peaked her head out the window to wave at Harry and Ron. They waved back before heading to the queue at the barrier. She ducked back into the compartment.

Once settling her luggage in the storage rack, she sat down and Draco entered the compartment. He gave her a nod and put his luggage into the rack. He hadn't even sat down before Hermione was engaging him in conversation.

"OK. So, we need to organize the prefect rounds for this year and come up with what we're going to say at the meeting," she announced into the silent compartment.

If he was surprised at her acceptance of him being the other head, his face didn't show it. "Yes, I agree." Sitting down opposite her, he looked out the window.

Hermione raised her eyebrows half an inch. He was being compliant?

She took out a piece of parchment with the names of the prefects and handed it to him. He took a lazy look at it and waved his wand. He handed it back to her.

He had organized all the names into two columns, matching who should patrol with who. Her mouth fell open as she realized it was perfect. Everyone he had matched made complete sense. He saw her shock and smirked.

"That takes care of that," she pointed out.

"Now the meeting?" he asked. Hermione nodded. "I'll go over duties and you can talk about the patrol schedule. Sound good?"

"Uh, yeah," she agreed. Draco had everything together, contrasting deeply with his reputation of blowing things off. Hermione was rather impressed.

He stood up and walked toward the door, holding it open for her. She walked through in a daze and they set off toward the prefect meeting across the narrow hallway.

They walked into the large compartment and Draco cleared his throat, allowing his eyes to travel across all the prefects. They grew quiet almost immediately.

Cutting right to the chase, and not wanted to waste time, Draco began. "As prefects, your duty is to be an example for other students and always do the right thing. You're given the ability to take points from other students, but don't let the power get to your head- your prefect badge _can_ be taken away. It will also be your duty to direct first years and help them as they become accustomed to the school. This includes showing them to the common room and making them feel welcome. As a last duty, you'll need to patrol, both at Hogwarts and here on the train. Any questions?"

Geoffrey Hooper, a fifth year Gryffindor, spoke up, "Yeah, I have a question. What if we can't fulfill our duties? Like, we miss a couple patrols because of quidditch or something. "

In annoyance, Draco answered, "If you can't do what is asked, you'll have Hermione and I to answer to."

Hermione was very surprised at his use of her first name, but hid that to herself. When no other questions were asked, she chimed in with her piece, "Right, then. I have the prefect patrolling pairs here. Tomorrow morning, you should get a schedule via owl telling you when it's your night to patrol. Okay, Anthony Goldstein and Ritchie Coote, Ernie MacMillan and Demelza Robins, Victoria Frobisher and Hannah Abbott. . ." she continued on, reading down the list. Once she had finished, she had to repeat a few pairings for those who weren't listening. After everyone was aware of their partner and happy about the pairing they received, Hermione released them for hallway patrol.

The room slowly drained of people, until only Padma Patil, Hermione, and Draco remained. Padma approached Hermione with an envelope.

"I was told to give this to you," she said handing it to Hermione. Padma left.

Draco's eyes subtly traveled to the unopened letter in her hand curiously before he left the room. Hermione followed him into the head's compartment, ripping the letter open as soon as the door closed.

_Hermione,_

_I am so sorry, dear. I came into the Headmaster position with terrible news to give to you._

_Before Headmaster Dumbledore's passing, he signed into Hogwart's ruling that any student above the first year to discover new family lineage needs to be resorted upon returning to Hogwarts. I did not think anything of this until I received word from Phineas Black's portrait that you had discovered new family lineage (Yes, even though he had a sheet covering his portrait). I'm currently investigating the matter and why Dumbledore would do such a thing._

_I wish I didn't have to do this, Hermione, but Dumbledore has left me no choice. I cannot reverse this ruling on such short notice. Until I draw conclusions, we can only assume he knew of your real family and was seeking house reconciliation after the war. It is my hope that you will be sorted back into Gryffindor, as you are a very brave and courageous young woman. _

_I am sorry to have to deliver this news. Please make your way to the antechamber off the entrance hall when you get to Hogwarts._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Headmaster Minevra McGonagall_

Hermione finished reading the letter and felt all the blood drain from her face. She tried to take deep breaths, but felt herself growing weak.

Draco had been watching her face while she read the letter and, seeing her face pale, quickly moved seats to sit next to her. He grabbed her shoulder to steady her. This seemed to bring her to her senses rather quickly and she glared at his hand.

"I'm fine."

Draco, realizing what he was doing, took his hand off her shoulder and wordlessly went out into the hallway.

_What was that?_ Hermione knew she had almost fainted, but Malfoy helping? Today was too weird for her to comprehend.

And then there was the resorting. She thought back to the excitement she had at the beginning of the day to be back in Gryffindor tower, then imagined she'd be in a completely different place tonight. She just couldn't see it. For the last 6 years of school, Gryffindor had been her home.

She wondered what would happen if she just refused. If, rather than head to the antechamber off of the entrance, she joined the Gryffindors. Would McGonagall call out to her? How strict is Dumbledore's ruling?

She thought about the possibility of not being able to attend Hogwarts this year if she wasn't resorted, and started to panic. Her future career as a healer depended upon the N.E.W.T.s in June. She wished she had more time to plan out a course of action, but she couldn't risk being told she couldn't attend school. As much as she didn't want to, she had to go through with this. Dumbledore himself once said he sometimes thought they sort too soon. What if she wasn't really a Gryffindor now that she had gone through so much?

_Don't freak out_, she tried to convince herself, _you'll be resorted into Gryffindor tonight and things will be back to normal_.

But for some reason, she didn't believe herself.

She imagined being sorted into Ravenclaw. This was the house she wouldn't actually mind, as the sorting hat had considered placing her there originally. Sharing the same house with Luna and Anthony seemed odd, however. She really didn't have anything in common with any of the Ravenclaws and certainly lacked open-mindedness.

Becoming a Hufflepuff an even weirder thought. True, she was a hard worker and certainly loyal, but patient? Hermione was. . . still working on being patient. And if your house was indeed chosen based on the traits you value, well, she didn't value the traits of Hufflepuff above all others.

Her thoughts on becoming a Slytherin were interrupted when Draco returned to the compartment, a bottle of pumpkin juice in hand. He handed it to Hermione and instructed her to lie down.

She warily took the drink from his hand, but didn't lie down. "Why are you being so nice to me?" Hermione bluntly asked.

He ignored her question and instead, asked one of his own, "What was in the letter?" His face was impassive, but mirrored her own stubbornness.

"I'll answer yours if you answer mine," she challenged.

Draco nodded and gave out a slow sigh. "I was a prat."

Hermione's eyebrows drew together. _Did he just say what I think he said? _"Um. What?"

Draco huffed and repeated himself, "I was a prat. I, uh- I'm making amends."

She smiled. She was going to enjoy this moment immensely. "Go on, then."

He glared at her. "I'm sorry for being rude to you."

Hermione had heard what he'd said, but was going to make Draco work for his apology. "What was that?" She innocently took a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"I'm. Sorry. For. Being. Rude. To. You." When she didn't say anything, he continued, "I shouldn't have called you names or made your life difficult. There's really no proper excuse and I'm sorry."

Long before his apology, she had already begun the process of forgiving Draco. She knew he had terrible parents and grew up learning to hate others who were different. Really, it wasn't his fault. She knew if she grew up in his shoes, she'd be the exact same way- possibly worse.

Hermione thought back to being brought to Malfoy Manor. Prior to Hermione being tortured, Draco denied knowing who Harry was when his face was swollen. Really, this was a dangerous move for Draco's position and he could have been punished for his uncooperation. In Hermione's eyes, he seemed to just be a kid who didn't know what he was getting into and was only doing what was expected of him.

Her eyes involuntarily drifted toward his left forearm, where she knew a mutilated scar still remained under his sleeve. He shifted uncomfortably.

"I forgive you," Hermione told him softly.

He nodded his appreciation. He was shocked that she was so easy to forgive him, but didn't want to challenge her decision. In an attempt to break the compartment's tension, he spoke up, "So, what was in the letter?"

Her eyes glazed over, suddenly remembering the present. "I'm being resorted," she groaned.

Draco's face flashed with surprise before returning back to normal. He was at a loss for words. Looking out the window, he saw they were getting close to Hogwarts, so he grabbed his robes and left the room to change. His fellow Head needed to be alone with her thoughts.

Hermione changed into her own robes while he was gone, willing herself to calm down. For the first time in 7 years, putting on her Gryffindor uniform felt like an alien experience. _This could be the last time I walk into Hogwarts as a Gryffindor_, she couldn't help but think to herself.

After Draco returned to the compartment, only ten minutes from when they were supposed to arrive, Hermione walked into the corridor, letter in hand, in search for Theo. After finding him, she took him out into the hallway and showed him the letter from McGonagall.

Theo didn't seem nearly as surprised as he should have been, which made Hermione instantly wary. "What do you make of that?" she asked him after he finished reading the letter.

He hesitated for a fraction of a second, "It sounds like you'll be proving you're a Gryffindor once again," he assured her.

"You knew." It wasn't a question. Hermione turned around and walked back toward the Head's compartment.

Theo stood in the hallway, watching her retreating back. He could have called her back, but knew it wouldn't have done any good. Besides, if she was sorted into Slytherin like he thought she would be, they would be making up soon enough.

Back in Hermione's compartment, she stared out the window in anticipation. Once the castle had come in sight, its many windows lighting up in the dark sky, Hermione's heart was in her throat.


	10. Unfamiliar

Let me just say that I haven't ever published my writing before because I'm my own worst critic and often embarrass myself. That out of the way, I wrote a sorting hat song for this chapter and your guys' support about the other chapters (plus my beta, NinjaDevil2000, and her kind words) is making me feel confident enough to post it.

* * *

Hermione made her way up the marble steps and, splitting off from her peers, went into the antechamber across the hall. The room was already filled with first years, all awaiting instruction.

"Are they ready for us?" One of the first years asked in a high voice. She turned to look for the girl who asked the question, but found it was a young boy instead.

She smiled. "No, you'll know when it's time."

When she remained standing there, the first years looked at her, puzzled. "Are we in trouble?" Another student asked.

"You're not in trouble," she assured them, "I'm being resorted." Being in this room once again made that statement feel more real.

They looked around at each other, whispers breaking out among them. Several started to ask her pointed questions. They seemed to think that Hermione had done something bad and she had to be resorted as a punishment. She began to reassure that nobody else had ever been resorted before and that they would all be fine, but was cut short.

The door to the room opened and Professor Sprout walked in. She shot Hermione a look of pity before squeezing her way to the front of the overfilling room. Hushing the students, she addressed the crowd. "Hello! My name is Professor Sprout. In just a few moments, you will be sorted into one of the four Hogwarts houses. While you're here, your house will be your second family. Good behavior will earn points, while bad behavior will lose points. You'll learn more soon about the houses, but for now, they are as follows: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin."

The young students began talking wildly, not allowing Professor Sprout to continue. Hermione felt bad for her. When McGonagall led the sorting ceremony, first years grew quiet after just looking at her. It seemed as though Sprout couldn't put off quite the same effect.

After several moments of chaos in the small room, a few students managed to shush most of their peers to silence.

"Now," Sprout raised her voice, "It's time, so if you would follow me, please." After getting to the door again, she walked out into the hallway and into the Great Hall.

As soon as the doors opened and the entire school was staring at them, Hermione realized just how big of a height difference there was between her and the first years. Once everyone realized she was among the group, whispers broke out all around the hall as the other students tried to guess what was going on. It felt as though all the blood in Hermione's body rushed to her cheeks. She tried to hide her face within her hair but was unsuccessful.

Once they were gathered in front of the staff, McGonagall called for silence.

The Sorting Hat broke out in song, not unlike years past.

_Several thousand years ago_

_came four minds together as one_

_and founded a school just for fun._

_Now here I am, where do you belong?_

_Try me on, never have I been wrong._

_So which will it be? _

_With four houses as possibilities:_

_Those Gryffindors from wild moor,_

_Fought bravely in the wizarding war._

_Those of undying valor and passion,_

_Would do well in red and gold fashion._

_Then there's brilliant Ravenclaws from the glen._

_They came to the aid of others again and again._

_Those who value learning and wit,_

_Would do best in the blue and bronze outfit._

_Loyal Hufflepuffs from the valley,_

_Were certainly there for the war finale._

_If you yourself are tenacious and fair,_

_Yellow and black are the colors to wear._

_Then came along Slytherin from fen._

_Their subtle cunning became essential once again._

_Those of resourcefulness and sly,_

_Will tomorrow be wearing a green and silver tie._

_In whatever house you find your clique,_

_Branch out. It's other houses you should seek._

_It's time to smooth things over,_

_You should be laughing together, growing closer._

_So which house will it be?_

_Try me on and we will see!_

After the Hat was finished, Sprout stepped forward. "In a few moments, I will call your name and you will come sit on the stool. I'll place the sorting hat on your head, it will sort you, and then you'll join your house table."

Hermione could feel the first years trembling all around her, and hoped she was still. She felt just as nervous.

"Gail Abbott"

The young boy walked up the steps to the sorting hat and was sorted into Hufflepuff. He ran off to sit with his sister, Hannah.

Tessa Bennett was sorted into Gryffindor and Hermione tuned out.

Standing here in anticipation for the sorting, Hermione felt like she was 11 years old again. Was a change in heritage really worth being resorted? Why did Dumbledore feel this was necessary? She still had the same personality and personal values, so what was this going to prove?

The rest of the sortings went by ordinarily, quite a few of them being sorted into Ravenclaw. Once Lance Whitman had been sorted, and Hermione was the only one left, Sprout called her up.

"Hermione. . . Nott."

If the hall was loud before, it was roaring by this point. Not only was Hermione being resorted, but now she was a Nott.

"What if I refuse?" she asked McGonagall, who stood at the podium with a deep look of pity. She almost had to yell to be heard over the students at this point.

"Hermione. . . if you are not resorted, I'm afraid you cannot attend Hogwarts."

She still hesitated, but couldn't deny herself the ability to take her N.E.W.T.s and become a healer. Giving in at last, she made her way to the stool.

Once the hat was on her head, the crowd fell into silence in anticipation. Her face became red with all the attentive eyes on her. Was this what Harry felt like first year? The pressure was incredible.

_Well, well, well_, the Sorting Hat cooed in her mind, _something tells me you're quite different this time around. I've sorted all the Notts into Slytherin, you know._

_-No! _She thought back, _Please, just put me back into Gryffindor. I'll do anything._

_Anything? Well that sounds quite ambitious of you. And- placed into Slytherin, I have no doubt your ambition will come in handy. _

_Please_, she begged.

_You sure showed quite a bit of resourcefulness last year, Miss Nott. And casting a memory charm on your own parents? Are you sure you belong in Gryffindor? _The Sorting Hat asked her.

She had to think quickly. _If you sort me into any other house than Gryffindor, you're admitting to being wrong the first time_. The Sorting Hat prided itself on always being a good judge of personality and character.

_Manipulation. Hmmm. Clever manipulation, at that._

There was nothing she could do to change the hat's mind. It had already been made up. Everything she was thinking was working against her.

"SLYTHERIN," the hat shouted.

The table on the far left erupted into applause, but didn't overshadow the rest of the hall, which was booing. Of course there were some students that weren't, namely a few from Gryffindor, but it looked like she was on her own from now on. Voldemort was defeated, but prejudice still existed.

She turned around slowly, wanting to see McGonagall's face. Her former head of house approached her, taking out her wand. McGonagall flicked her wand toward the younger girl's clothing and Hermione looked down to see the colors green and silver, as well as a snake on her house badge. She slowly looked up, taking in the older woman's features, which held a sad gaze. On wobbly legs, Hermione feigned confidence and walked to her new table.

In the shock of everything, she forgot her anger toward Theo and collapsed on the seat next to him.

She waited until the room calmed down. "A couple start of term notices," McGonagall announced, "We have a few new teachers I'd like to introduce. Taking over for Transfiguration will be Professor Spalding."

An older man with tired eyes struggled to stand up, but managed. His long grey-streaked hair was tied back in a ponytail to reveal his kind features. He waved to the students and sat back down.

"This year's Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, and good friend of mine, Professor Platt."

A young, rather attractive man stood up next to Professor Slughorn and nodded at the students, making half the girls swoon. He had rather angular features, softened by shaggy brown hair and stubble.

"Alchemy is being brought back to the schedule by popular demand. For seventh years taking this class, Professor Bell will be your instructor." She nodded toward the young woman to her right.

Professor Bell didn't stand up, but waved to the students. Her resemblance to Katie Bell was undeniable and Hermione wondered whether they were sisters or of a different relation.

"Okay! Let the feast begin," McGonagall spoke into the hall. The plates along the centers of the tables filled with food.

Hermione was in a daze and stared at her empty plate. How could this have happened?

"Hermione," Theo nudged her. "You need to eat."

"Huh?" She looked up. "Oh." She put some food on her plate and ate in silence.

"Hi," the dark, pretty witch in front of her said, "I'm Daphne Greengrass. Welcome to Slytherin."

Hermione barely looked up, as she was still absorbed in her own thoughts, which were running wild.

"Later, Daphne," Theo told her out of the corner of his mouth.

_Why did I have to be resorted? _she thought to herself. _I'm still Hermione. I still have the same personality. _

Despite what the Sorting Hat said to her, she didn't see any of her traits as being particularly Slytherin-like. Resourceful? She only did what she had to while on the run with Ron and Harry. Ambitious? She just liked to put her best effort forward. Manipulative? Well. . . besides blackmailing Rita Skeeter, she wasn't _that _manipulative.

She ate the rest of her meal without any of the other Slytherins trying to engage her in conversation. Once she finished dessert, Draco stood up from the table and walked toward the first year students. After exchanging a few words with that side of the table, the young students stood up and followed him. He then approached Hermione.

"I'm sorry, you may not be a first year, but you're a part of this group."

Hermione wordlessly stood and joined the first year students. Draco led them out into the entrance hall and rather than take the steps going up into the castle as she normally would, she descended into the dungeons with the group.

Draco led them past the Potions classroom and around a few corners. Eventually, he stood outside a stretch of brick wall. "This is where you will enter the common room. All you have to do is say the password, which is changed weekly."

He looked at the wall. "Basilisk."

The bricks slowly receded until an archway was formed. Through it, Hermione saw, was a dark and dreary room compared to the Gryffindor common room. They entered and she got a good look around.

The room was cast in a green glow from the green lamps hanging around the ceiling from chains. Stone walls surrounded the room on three sides, but the furthest wall was thick glass and looked out into the Black Lake. Curved, expensive green and silver chairs and sofas sat around the room, but didn't do much to make it feel comfortable. Tapestries hung around the walls, featuring shrewd looking wizards and witches. The only aspect of the room that resembled Gryffindor tower was the fireplace, which had an elaborately carved mantelpiece and cast green flames.

Draco stepped into the room and told everyone to sit down. The first years seemed to be staring at the surroundings with as much fear as Hermione, which didn't do anything to calm her down.

Over the course of the next ten minutes, the rest of the Slytherins had came into the room and gathered around the first years. This definitely wasn't a part of Gryffindor tradition, so Hermione was wracked with anticipation.

"Everyone here?" Draco asked. Blaise Zabini nodded. "Okay. Listen up, everyone. I'm sure you noticed the entire school booing at you?"

The young students nodded.

"Well, you don't need to worry about them. We Slytherins protect our own."

One of the newly-sorted Slytherin girls was close to tears. "Why would they boo at us?" she blubbered. Pansy Parkinson rushed over and put a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Because there have been some bad people in the past who have been Slytherins," he told her softly.

Hermione was wildly impressed with the way Draco was handling the first year students.

"Now, if any of you are bullied or taunted by another house, let us know. We have all gone through it."

The first years nodded again, some silently crying. Hermione imagined what it would be like to go to a completely unfamiliar school and be instantly hated by everyone for something you couldn't control. Honestly, she hadn't given it much thought before.

"Are there any other questions?" Draco questioned. When there were none, he led the boys to their dorms while Pansy led the girls, still supporting the one crying.

Hermione joined the group and found her room, which she soon learned she shared with Pansy, Daphne, Tracey, and Millicent.

The only differences between her room in the dungeons and the room in Gryffindor tower were the colors and lack of windows. While the red hangings on her four poster bed invited her in, the green that now surrounded her mattress made it feel cold. She sat down on the bed anyway, too tired to transfigure the colors.

"I had no idea you guys talked to first years on the first day about bullying," she admitted, "That's messed up you have to do that."

"Yeah, well," Pansy said from her own bed, "We all had to go through it. We survived"

Millicent scoffed from across the room, half dressed in her pajamas. "Some of us better than others, though, right?"

Pansy shot her a venomous look. "I'll admit it. _I_ was the first year crying on _our_ first day, but what can I say? The dungeons are depressing."

All the girls agreed to that, which certainly made Hermione feel better. She lay her head on the pillow and quickly fell asleep without bothering to get ready for bed, despite being in unfamiliar surroundings.


	11. Settling

Hermione was the last to wake up, but the room was still full. Pansy, Tracey, and Daphne all stood at the end of her bed, fully dressed and chatting.

Daphne realized she was awake and addressed her, "Hello, sleepy head. Get dressed."

"Whha-" Hermione groggily sighed back. She blinked her eyes a few times and sat up. "Why are you guys still here? Just leave without me. I know where the Great Hall is."

Daphne's face displayed shock. "We go up together," she stated as though it was obvious.

Hermione stretched and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I didn't realize being a Slytherin meant automatically being in a gang," she sarcastically replied. Nevertheless, she began getting dressed and started to comb her hair in front of the mirror.

Daphne ran over and took the comb from her hands. "What are you doing?"

"Um," Hermione replied, "I _was_ combing my hair."

The other witch shook her head. "Hasn't anyone ever told you how to care for your curls, girl?"

Hermione honestly didn't care. She had long ago accepted the frizz.

Daphne sensed Hermione didn't care, so she reasoned with her, "I'm going to do your hair today, you'll receive tons of compliments, and you'll see." She then did just that.

Ten minutes later, the group of Slytherin girls walked out of the dungeons and into the Great Hall. A few people turned to look at Hermione, but not like they had the night before, which she was glad for.

They sat down together next to the Slytherin boys and started to eat.

"How'd you sleep?" Theo asked Hermione. He was afraid she wouldn't get any sleep in the dungeons, but she seemed well rested.

Hermione didn't look at him when she coldly replied, "I may have forgotten at the Welcome Feast last night, but I am still mad at you."

Draco was watching all this with amusement from the other side of the table. It was quite funny to see Theo chewed out.

She resumed her breakfast, even making small talk with the Slytherin girls. They were surprisingly accepting of Hermione and she was glad to have made friends. She initially thought she'd be lonely in Slytherin.

Slughorn made his way down the table, talking to every student and handing them their timetable. Once he reached Hermione, she was glad to see no mistakes in her schedule. She would be taking Transfiguration, Defense, Charms, Potions, Herbology, and Alchemy this year to prepare for N.E.W.T.s.

Once their head of house finished talking to all the seventh year Slytherins, they immediately began comparing schedules. She shared a few classes with each of the girls, she was glad to learn.

Tracey was just eyeing Draco's chart when she made a comment, "Hermione, yours and Draco's schedules are almost exactly the same."

She handed Tracey her schedule to compare them side by side. After Tracey confirmed they were nearly identical, Hermione looked at Draco with confusion written on her face.

"What? I'm going to be a healer," he told her.

She was doubtful until she remember the train ride. Hermione had almost fainted and Draco knew exactly what to do. She hadn't lied down as he suggested, but the pumpkin juice certainly helped her.

The Slytherins continued to eat their breakfast and Hermione drifted off in thought. A lot had happened over the last day and she knew she should tell Harry and Ron that she was resorted before Ginny did, but she didn't know where to begin.

Hermione had an hour before Charms, so she left the Great Hall and climbed the stairs toward the owlery. Once there, she drew a piece of parchment and a quill from her bag.

_Hi, Ron and Harry. I'm a Slytherin now but it's not all that bad and I'm making friends._

She quickly crossed this out and started again.

_Hello! Still alive. I just spent the night in the dungeons after Dumbledore's stupid rules forced me to be resorted. Yup. I'm a snake now._

Hermione crossed this out as well. It seemed as though she would be here all day, thinking of how to tell her best friends that she was in a different house now. She sat there for about 20 minutes in this process of revision and was close to giving up.

She heard a noise and looked up to see Malfoy leaning against the doorway.

"Trouble?" he asked her.

She looked back down at the parchment. "Yeah. You could say that."

He gave it some thought (which was more that Harry or Ron ever did), and said simply, "If they're your friends, they'll understand no matter how badly you phrase it."

_That's good advice_, she thought to herself. "It would just sound so much better eloquently put though, right?"

"Do you really think Harry _or_ Ron are going to be able to appreciate your sentence structure or vocabulary?"

Hermione smiled. "No. Good point."

Turning back to the parchment, she scribbled a quick note to the boys.

_Hi! Miss you guys already._

_I was told on the train I'd need to be resorted (will explain later in person). I was sorted into Slytherin!_

_I survived the night, so it's not as bad as you may think. I'm even making friends here! See you soon, Harry,_

_Love, Hermione_

"Perfect," Draco said to her once she looked up from her writing.

"Are you sure? You haven't read it. It sounds awfully vague. Plus, I start most of the sentences the same way."

"I haven't read it, but know it's perfect," he told her. "I can assure you that they won't be able to tell the difference."

Hermione nodded with a renewed sense of confidence and tied the letter to an owl's leg. It took off and she turned back to Malfoy.

"Thank you," she told him.

"Yeah. No problem."

They left the owlery and made it to Charms with only minutes to spare.

After class got out, Hermione stood up to leave the classroom.

She hadn't realized just how difficult it would be to return to school this year. Hermione's year off with Harry and Ron seemed to get her out of the school-mindset. She was going to need to up her game if she was going to be ready for N.E.W.T.s at the end of the year- her future career depended on it.

She headed toward the door and Professor Flitwick called her back. She went to his desk and he stayed quiet until all the students had drained from the room.

"Are you doing okay, Hermione?" he asked her.

". . . Yes," she replied hesitantly. _What's this about?_

Flitwick seemed unconvinced. "Well, when I asked you in class about the spell 'Anapneo', you didn't know the answer and. . . that's unusual- especially considering your career choice."

She was very embarrassed when she didn't know the answer in class and she definitely got quite a few looks. After Flitwick told her it was the spell to clear a choking person's airway, she was flat-out ashamed. A future healer didn't know such a simple spell?

She mumbled something to Flitwick about trying harder and went to the door.

"Oh, and Miss Nott?" he called out. She turned her head to the side to let him know she was listening. "You did excellent on the vinegar to wine review at the beginning of class. Five points to Slytherin."

"Thank you, Professor," she said quietly on her way out.

That was the first time she was rewarded house points as a Slytherin and she honestly didn't know how to feel about it. Her academics were already stressing her out, so she knew she wouldn't give much thought to the house competition this year.

The rest of her day passed by uneventfully, except for the few compliments she received on her tamed hair. Now aware of her slack, she made sure to overperform in the rest of her classes that day. That afternoon, 11 year old Hermione was awakened- raising her hand for every question and eagerly providing too much in her answers.

By the time she sat down for dinner that evening, she was properly exhausted and ready to go to bed.

She was still aware of her anger toward Theo, so she consciously sat down between Tracey and Draco while deliberately avoiding eye contact with her brother. She loaded her plate up with salad, green beans, and chicken.

The other Slytherin girls were deep in a debate about which Hufflepuff guys were cute when Hermione decided to tune out. She looked down the table toward the first years and a deep frown formed on her face.

It broke Hermione's heart how Slytherin first years were given reassurance on their first night. It struck her as odd that the school hadn't ever considered the protection of these young kids but then again, she herself didn't know about the issue until she was resorted. The activist in Hermione rose up again as she thought of what she could do to help.

"Hey," she said to Draco to draw his attention, "What do you guys do if first years come to you to talk about bullying?"

Draco turned to her to answer. "Generally? We corner said bully after class and threaten them. Usually does the trick."

"Usually?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, 'usually'." Draco wasn't going to tell her what they do if threats don't work, which she knew.

She turned back to her meal and listened in on her dorm mates' conversation.

"I disagree, Pansy, Justin Finch-Fletchley at least has a cute personality-" Daphne confessed.

"WHAT?" Pansy screeched. "No personality can hide his buck teeth-"

Tracey butted in, "To be fair, Pansy, you called Herbert Fleet sexy. Are you blind?"

"He has a nice body," Pansy defended. "Keeper's build. What can I say? I like broad shoulders."

"'Keeper's build' or not, Pansy, he is _so_ not your type," Tracey told her.

"To be fair," Daphne mentioned, "he's not anyone's type. Did you see him drooling in divination?" Tracey laughed.

"He wasn't drooling!" Pansy snapped, "Whatever. It's not like I like him or anything. He just has a nice body."

They seemed to disagree about everything. Hermione cleared her throat and asked, "Is there anyone you could all agree on?" She needed to start being nice to these girls.

"Malcolm Preece. Chaser," Tracey told her. All the girls nodded in unison and Daphne feigned a swoon.

"I see," Hermione stated. "Why don't one of you ask him out or something?"

"ARE you crazy?" Pansy asked her

"Of course we can't ask him out," Daphne whispered, despite Malcolm being two tables away.

Hermione was confused as to why asking this guy out was such a terrible idea.

Draco, having been watching the conversation from the sideline, provided an explanation. "Pureblood tradition says they don't act on crushes. They have to wait for the man to initiate things."

"That's messed up," Hermione protested. Draco agreed with her.

They finished their meal talking about other pureblood traditions and their origins. Hermione was glad she grew up away from this society of wizards she was a part of. Things in the muggle world were much simpler.

As she left the Great Hall to go to the bathroom a little while later, a soft hand grabbed her and pulled her into a side hallway. After getting over her shock, and almost hexing the person, she saw it was Ginny.

"Hi. Are you doing okay?" she asked Hermione.

She was taken aback. "Yeah. I'm fine." Her heart was still beating really fast from being surprised. "You're lucky I didn't hex you, Ginny. What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry. I was just worried about the snakes. I imagine they can be rude," Ginny softened her voice. Her eyes were darting around, as though she didn't want to be seen with Hermione.

"Thank you for thinking about me, but I seem to be doing well," Hermione told her. She then walked off before she could say another thing. Hermione was tired and didn't want to have to explain her last two days to Ginny.

That night after everyone had gone to bed, Hermione met up with Draco in the common room for their first Heads meeting.

Even though many of her expectations of the Slytherins had already been broken, her biggest worry remained: that Draco wouldn't pull his weight and she would be alone in planning things. This year was N.E.W.T.s and she would not be solely responsible for their Head duties.

"What's on the agenda?" he asked her.

Hermione thought about it for a minute before replying, "We're in charge of Halloween decorations, so we should start thinking about that. Do you want to change anything?" She didn't expect a thoughtful response.

Draco groaned and leaned back in his chair. "Hogwarts does the same thing every year for every holiday. We should change _something_."

Hermione could agree with that, but was surprised to hear it coming from Draco Malfoy. "Aren't Slytherins supposed to be traditionalists? Where's your sense of tradition?" she teased.

Draco smiled, a response at the ready. "Traditions are made. If we come up with a good enough idea, we'll be remembered for it, you know."

She couldn't argue with that logic. They sat there for several minutes in silence, staring at the fire's green flames in deep thought.

Her first thought was to do some sort of pumpkin carving contest with the students. If the school were able to obtain a few hundred pumpkins, they could have both inner house and school-wide contests for different categories, like most creative or most detailed design. However, she knew many students wouldn't have any interest in such an event.

Her next thought was some type of haunted house in a part of the school. If they set off a few rooms, they could easily decorate, release some boggarts, and use spellwork to make it decent. Satisfied with her idea, she voiced it to Draco.

He sat in silence for what seemed like minutes, pondering the idea Hermione came up with. Finally, he spoke up, "If it's not scary, we'll be laughed at."

She was glad that that was his only complaint about the idea. "Well, it will be discussed with McGonagall and all the prefects. I'm sure if it's not good, someone will tell us."

He gave it some more thought before giving her a nod. "We'll talk to McGonagall tomorrow about it."

She smiled. Had someone told before this year that she would be planning school events with Draco Malfoy, she wouldn't have believed it. It certainly came as a shock to Hermione that Draco was easy to get along with.

"Hey, um. . . Draco?" she hadn't used his first name before and felt weird to say it aloud. "Thank you for working with me on this."

He recognized her choice to say his first name; although he had called her Hermione in the prefect meeting on the train, Draco was still shocked. "Of course." He was visibly on the verge of saying something else, but seemed to change his mind. He sighed. "Is that all we needed to discuss?"

"Yeah. Do you want to meet up after lunch to go talk to McGonagall?"

He nodded and stood up. Bidding each other goodnight, they went to their respective dormitories.

All the other girls had already gone to bed when Hermione tiptoed into her room, which she was glad for. She didn't feel like indulging details about her Halloween idea until it was finalized. Putting on her pajamas, she curled up in bed and thought about Draco Malfoy, of all people.

_When did he mature so much?_ She thought to herself. It may have been too early to tell, but it seemed like Draco was actually going to help her with events.

She had been rather impressed by him lately. Remembering the way he comforted the frightened first years, she realized that he wasn't the same Draco Malfoy that she seemed to remember from before. The war had humbled him, which she was grateful for. This improved version of Draco would be much easier to work with.

She turned over in bed and began to think about Theo.

He had no right to withhold the information he did. If he knew Hermione would be resorted when she got to Hogwarts, why didn't he tell her? It hurt her feelings that he hadn't even tried to tell her.

She tried to place herself in his shoes, but had trouble. To Hermione, there was no reasonable explanation for keeping such a secret.

When she finally got to sleep, her mind was running rampant with thoughts of Draco and Theo.


	12. Approval

Thank you all for the kind words! Thespianpoet- yes, I too hate those stories that use Draco that way. I don't think he gets enough credit, y'know?

* * *

The next morning was quite hectic.

Hermione woke up, got dressed, and left the room with the other girls to head to breakfast. Arriving in the common room, they saw a swarm of students clustered around the Slytherin bulletin board, talking in excited voices.

"What's going on over there?" she asked of no one in particular.

"Blaise said today's quidditch tryouts," Tracey replied with a sigh. None of the girls in her new group liked quidditch and they all knew it was all they were going to hear about today.

They sat down for breakfast in their usually spots and heard students talking about tryouts. From listening in, Hermione picked up that more students were coming to tryouts today than ever before. The fifth years down the table were even discussing ways they might bribe Draco.

"Do they really think that will work?" Hermione asked Daphne, who had also been listening in on the younger students' conversation.

Daphne's eyes darted up from her plate to meet Hermione's. "The end justifies the means, right?"

_How was she ever sorted into Slytherin?_ She thought to herself. This girl very clearly didn't believe the end justifies the means and, honestly, never displayed any of the house's traits. She would have asked why Daphne was in Slytherin, but didn't want to appear rude.

Hermione was just finishing up her breakfast when the post swooped in. An envelope addressed to her landed on her nearly-empty plate.

She ripped open the letter and saw a newspaper clipping of Paul's article. It seemed as though he was keeping his promise and allowing Hermione to look it over before publication. She read it carefully several times and realized she had no complaints. None of the information was false, he portrayed the Nott family well, and even mentioned her future career as a healer.

Hermione looked down the table toward Theo and saw him moping in an extremely uncharacteristic way. Pushing a pile of scrambled eggs around on his plate, she noticed he didn't seem to be listening to Draco, who was talking wildly and waving his arms about. He had also received a letter, but didn't acknowledge it.

"You know, Hermione, he's been a real bother to be around since the train," Tracey told her, noticing her gaze toward Theo.

Hemione's eyes remained on her brother when she answered, "He knew I would be resorted and didn't tell me." To Hermione, this both explained and justified her anger toward Theo.

Daphne chimed in, "I'm sure he had a good reason. He probably didn't hurt you on purpose." It was very like Daphne to see the best in everyone.

"See, you have to remember we're Slytherins or else you're setting yourself up for failure," Tracey explained. "It was probably his self-preservation that prevented him from telling you."

Hermione thought about that. Theo was probably worried she would get angry at the messenger, but that wasn't true at all. If Theo told her she would be resorted, she would reconsider coming back to Hogwarts in the first place. Perhaps that was the reason he kept it to himself.

She ate her last bits of toast and, shoving the article into her pocket, stood up and walked toward Theo. She tapped him on the shoulder as she walked past and proceeded to walk out into the entrance hall.

Theo looked at Draco, who shrugged mid-sentence, and stood up to follow Hermione. He was tired of listening to his friend's quidditch-spiel, especially since he'd had to listen to it since he first woke up this morning.

He caught up to Hermione once she'd stopped walking and stayed quiet, waiting for her to initiate conversation.

"I've been a prat," she blurted.

His face remained unreadable. "Me too."

Her head quirked to the side. "No. No, you haven't. You were just preserving yourself, which I understand. You didn't know how I would react to being told I'd be resorted."

Theo was glad they were at least talking at this point, but didn't want to ruin it by saying something stupid, so he remained silent.

"I'm sorry," she told him earnestly. Just wanting to move on, Theo accepted her apology.

As they stood in the hallway catching up on each other's lives, she realized just how much she missed having him to confide in, despite not knowing him personally for very long. She had Harry and Ron, but they could be daft sometimes.

Several minutes passed by where they talked about little things. Hermione told him about writing to Harry and Ron, the classes she was already liking, and her feelings about being a Slytherin now. Once she mentioned her friends, he drew an envelope out of his pocket with Harry's writing on the flap. The brown wax seal depicted a single peony.

"This came to me on accident," he told her.

She took the letter from him, opened it, and saw that it was, in fact, from Harry.

_Hermione,_

_SLYTHERIN? Wow. Can't wait to see you and check up on how you're coping with all this. You mentioned you're making friends, but make sure they aren't taking advantage of you. _

_I'll be there tomorrow for Defense classes, so wish me luck. I'll see you then, Hermione._

_Harry_

_P.S.- Ron says he feels sorry for you and wishes you the best in dealing with those "manipulative gits"._

She looked up from the letter and noticed Theo was still standing there. Deciding she needed to show her appreciation for him somehow, she handed him Paul's article.

"It's because of you that I get to read this before it's out for the entire wizarding world to see."

He skimmed the letter a few times and verified there wasn't anything false. Realizing the time, he thanked her and rushed off to his Runes class.

Hermione took a quick stop into the owlery to send off a letter to Paul to let him know the article was fine. She walked into the room and saw two Ravenclaw boys transfiguring owls into chickens. After taking away some points and mailing her letter, she walked to her first class of the day.

Today was shaping up to be much better than before for Hermione. It seemed as though she was getting used to her new house in many ways and her school performance was benefitting.

By the time she was sat down in the drafty Potions classroom, she felt she could take on any potion that Slughorn assigned.

"Welcome, class. How are you all doing today?" He received a few mumbles in return. "Fantastic. Well, today we will be brewing a particularly difficult potion that I know a few of you will need to know in your chosen professions." His eyes focused on Hermione and Draco for a few seconds longer than anyone else. "The cure for dragon pox."

Her peers groaned outwardly and exchanged nervous glances. She knew from reading the potions book beforehand that this potion was time consuming and needed to be done exactly as the instructions said, similar to Felix Felicis.

"Now now, then. This is your first potion back from summer break, so I don't expect perfection." He wrote the page number on the board and sat down behind the desk. "Two hours, students. Let me know if you have questions."

Those taking N.E.W.T.-level potions, for the first time, didn't have partners in class; Hermione didn't know how she felt about this. On one hand, partners usually got in her way and just slowed her down, but on the other, this class would be incredibly difficult. She wished she had a partner right about now to chop her fluxweed.

Hermione's potion progressed reasonably well throughout the class and Slughorn even told her he would trust it to cure dragon pox, even though a falsely-brewed cure could have fatal effects. She grinned. Maybe this year wouldn't be so difficult after all.

By the end of class, Hermione had earned Slytherin ten points, had one of the best potions, and gained some confidence back. She may not have known the charm to help a choking person the day before, but she could correctly brew a dragon pox cure potion.

Slughorn collected samples for grading. "Over the weekend, please write about what you think you could improve on and what you did correctly with today's potion. Two feet of writing, please. It's due Tuesday."

Draco packed up and approached Hermione. Once her books were stowed away and her station was cleaned up, they headed toward McGonagall's office together.

They reached the stone gargoyle entrance to the Headmaster's office when Hermione realized she didn't have a clue as to what the password could be now that Dumbledore was gone. Somehow, she doubted Headmaster McGonagall kept up with the tradition of using the names of famous sweets.

She decided to guess. "Uh, cat. . . Godric. . . transfiguration. . . umm. . . quidditch? That's not it? Hm. . . oh! Phoenix?. . . Animagus? Okay, perhaps hatstall? McGonagall was a hatstall, right?" Noticing Draco hadn't said anything, she looked at him in the corner of her eye and noticed he was trying not to laugh.

Hermione turned toward him completely. "What are you laughing about?"

"Needlework," he said, no longer trying to contain his laughter

"What?" She asked him bluntly. Before he answered, she noticed the gargoyles granted them entrance. Stepping onto the rotating staircase, Hermione turned around to talk to Draco, only to notice she was barely inches away from his face. Draco smirked as she turned away. A large patch of red spread across both her cheeks as she willed herself to stop blushing.

"You couldn't have spoken up sooner with the password?" she asked Draco with her back turned to him.

He chuckled. "I quite enjoyed your guessing."

The staircase stopped its rotation and she knocked on the Headmaster's door. The door swung open and they walked a few feet into the room. McGonagall wasn't there.

"Maybe we should come back later," Draco suggested.

"No," Hermione replied. She walked further into the room and found Dumbledore's portrait on the wall. He was wide awake, blue twinkling eyes finding Hermione's.

"Ah! Miss Nott! What a wonderful surprise," he said to her.

She looked behind her to double check that McGonagall wasn't in the room and turned back to him. "I have so many questions. Why did you do this?" She gestured toward her Slytherin badge.

He let out a little sigh. "Yes. Headmaster McGonagall has been asking me the same question."

"Well?"

"It is not I that put you in Slytherin. The Sorting Hat is the same as it was when you were 11, Miss Nott."

She thought this over. "I'm a Gryffindor."

"Ah, perhaps you were. But I have always said that we sort students too soon. You are not the same person as you were at 11 years old."

"But. . ." she faltered, "why me? Why am I the only person you chose to resort?"

"Hm. Yes, I suppose that is a good question."

Her face became red with frustration. "What do you mean that's a good question? Answer me," she sputtered.

"Hermione," Draco said putting a hand on her shoulder, "portraits don't have all the answers."

"Indeed they do not," a voice spoke behind them, making them jump. It was McGonagall.

"Minerva! So glad you could join us," Dumbledore cheered.

She ignored him and sat down behind the desk. The two Slytherins came in and sat down across from McGonagall and explained that they came to pitch their idea for Halloween. Hermione looked at Draco to let him know he could start talking about their idea first.

"Well, the idea is to have a haunted house for the students. We could portion off an area in the school and have the prefects decorate."

McGonagall seemed to think about this for only a few moments before Hermione joined in. "We could tell the ghosts to float around the hallway, we would release a few boggarts, and the prefects could put up spooky decorations."

Draco and Hermione sat quiet, waiting for her approval. Thus far, McGonagall was silent.

Finally, after what seemed like an excessively long time, the Headmistress spoke, "I have a few concerns."

They exchanged nervous glances. This was what they had been worried about.

"How will you deal with Peeves? He loves events like these." They hadn't thought about that, but it was a really good point. Peeves could turn an event like this into a disaster with only a few water balloons.

"And you'll have to convince Filch, of course. I assume he will be cleaning the hallway after the festivities, so it's only polite to have his approval beforehand. Oh! And have you considered what will be included besides boggarts? It may become. . . bland."

Hermione and Draco were speechless. Asking Filch for permission to have a school activity? Everyone knew Filch hated school activities. Besides, they never needed his permission for any other events. Plus, they would obviously have more than just boggarts. Why was McGonagall against the idea of a haunted house?

When neither of the students offered solutions to the issues she posed, McGonagall hesitantly continued, ". . . Of course, we could always have another ball. . . Yes, yes- I can see it now. Autumn colors. Elegant decorations. . . Of course, it would be more of an autumn celebration, rather than Halloween, but I do think it could work. Yes. . ." she trailed off in thought.

Hermione chanced a side-glance at Draco and, while his face remained impassive, she saw a muscle in his jaw twitch. He was irritated at McGonagall's open manipulation.

She was annoyed as well, but also knew there was no point arguing or calling the older woman out. McGonagall had the initial say in the matter and they wouldn't be able to proceed without permission; if she wanted a ball, Hermione and Draco would have to arrange for a ball.

Hermione involuntarily grit her teeth. "Sounds wonderful. Do we need to figure out what to do with Peeves or get permission from Filch?" She saw Draco's lip quirk up.

"No, no. That won't be necessary, Hermione dear," McGonagall smiled. "If you two could write up some details for this ball, however, that would be excellent. There will be much to do, so I would like to have said details by tomorrow night, if possible." They were growing more irritated by the minute, but planning an event they didn't want to do was the tipping point. "Any questions you need to ask while you're here?"

Hermione just wanted to get out of the room so she could vent, so she spoke rather quickly, "Nope. Thank you, Headmistress," before grabbing her fellow Head student by the arm and walking out the door and onto the rotating staircase.

Once there was some distance between the gargoyles and herself, Hermione looked at Draco with anger in her eyes. "So. There goes our idea."

He nodded, his composure firm. "Looks like Hogwarts isn't open to change."

Hermione thought about the statement and how it truly resonated with the last couple days. She'd expected Hogwarts to be different after the war, but it seemed to go back to nearly the same way it was before. Slytherin was still the most hated house. Interhouse unity efforts were nonexistent. School dances were the only accepted events. It made her blood boil. She needed to do something about it.

Walking to transfiguration with Draco, Hermione had a million different ideas in her head about how to evoke change in Hogwarts.

That night, Hermione found herself in the corner of the Slytherin common room with a piece of parchment and her quill, not a book in sight.

The wall on the far side of the room opened up and Theo walked into the common room. He looked around, spotted Hermione, and headed her way. He made himself comfortable in the chair across from hers. "Did someone already assign you homework?"

She didn't realize Theo sat next to her, and sat up with a start. "No, I'm brainstorming." She had had too many thoughts circling around her head that day and needed to sort them out.

He turned his head so he could read the parchment sitting on the table and his eyebrows drew together. The words were quite difficult to make out from his angle. "Horse. . . unit?"

Hermione took a second glance at the heading of the text and laughed. "No, it says 'house unity'. When I have a lot of ideas, I have to get them down quickly. I'm sure much of what I've written doesn't actually make sense," she admitted.

". . . What are you thinking?" Theo seemed apprehensive.

She hesitated, not wanting to be told her idea wasn't going to work. After the look on Theo's face, which reminded her of the trust she had in her brother, she told him, "I just think the school needs to change and the houses shouldn't be so divided anymore." Her lack of confidence in this new idea was extremely apparent in her tone.

Theo knew she needed encouragement. "I completely agree. If the war should have taught wizards anything, it's that we're stronger together."

Hermione couldn't help but smile. "So you'll help me?"

"Well. . ." Theo started, "I will be pretty busy studying for N.E.W.T.s, but. . . if I have time, definitely." He didn't know it, but his support meant the world to his newfound sister.

Over the course of the next hour, a few other housemates dropped by her corner to ask about what she was doing. She told a few of them about her plans and even received some advice from the seventh year Slytherin girls, which she was eager for. By the end of the night, her mind was made up and she had several courses of action mapped out.

Properly exhausted from her busy day, Hermione collapsed into bed and quickly fell asleep, ready to see her best friend the next day.


	13. Visit

Had a bit of writer's block recently and I'm really hoping I can continue this. My external writing is up to chapter 16 at this point, so there will still be weekly updates for the next 3 weeks, at least.

As always, though, let me know what you think about the story. A lot happens in this chapter, but it needed to happen for what's to come. I try to listen to feedback to adjust things accordingly and, specifically, you guys mentioned you liked Harry's role in the story and the reaction Hermione's friends have toward the house change. Without further ado-

* * *

This morning, Hermione found herself eating breakfast with a hardly-contained smile on her face. In fact, she couldn't keep her eyes off the entrance to the Great Hall.

Next to her, the Slytherin girls were talking about the Snape-led dance lessons before the Yule Ball. She was trying to focus on the fact that Harry would walk in any moment, but couldn't help but become part of the conversation.

"Snape led the Slytherin dance lesson?" Hermione asked, hoping someone had taken a photo.

"Of course," Tracey replied, "All the Head of Houses led their respective house's lessons. McGonagall led yours, right?"

She nodded. Hermione hadn't really thought about the Slytherin's dance situation before.

"It was rather funny," Daphne added with a grin. "I think Dumbledore thought Snape would blow it off, so he came and sat in on the lesson. Do you guys remember that?" she asked her fellow Slytherins, to which they nodded enthusiastically.

Pansy could hardly speak through her laughing. "He began the lesson and was all, 'I'm supposed to teach you how to dance, but you all obviously know how'," she said, mimicking his deep voice. "Then Dumbledore came in, sat down, and just looked at Professor Snape- just _looked_ at him-"

"-Yeah, so Snape _had_ to teach us," Daphne jumped back in, "it's not like he could blow off the lessons with his boss sitting there."

Hermione was grinning from ear to ear. "Then what happened?" She had momentarily forgotten her best friend's upcoming appearance.

The girls were in a fit of giggles, but Tracey managed to get it under control enough to finish the story. "He tried to explain how to dance, but was awfully bad at it. He's all- no, actually. Pansy, do the voice."

Pansy's face suddenly became as serious as possible. "'You need to become. . . close. Then the . . woman, puts her hands on the shoulders. The man, sets his hands on the. . . _waist_'," she emphasized the last word and her serious face melted. Her laughing was drawing the attention of several students around her.

This wasn't as funny as Hermione was expecting, so she felt a little disappointment in the story.

Tracey noticed Hermione's facial expression and quickly jumped in, "That's not all, Hermione. Dumbledore told him the students would benefit from a demonstration."

"Merlin," Hermione's eyes widened. "Who did Snape dance with?"

Pansy raised her hand slightly, her eyes watering from laughter. "His hands were so cold and clammy. It was so _weird_."

For once, Hermione wished she had been a Slytherin earlier in her Hogwarts years. Snape dancing with students was a hilarious thought and she wished she could have been there.

She resumed her watch on the front door to the hall, mindful of every black-haired student coming through. Her eyes drifted across the hall and she noticed Ginny, who seemed to be doing the same thing she was doing. _Where's Harry going to sit?_ she wondered to herself. Hermione was definitely going to be staying at the Slytherin table, seeing as Gryffindors were among those who booed her on the first night. She wasn't even sure she would still be welcomed over there anymore, now that she was wearing green rather than red.

Staring at Ginny, she saw the red-headed girl's eyes light up and Hermione changed her gaze to the entrance of the hall. Harry had just walked through the doors, his eyes scanning the room. Hermione looked back to Ginny and noticed her staring back. It seemed neither of them knew which table Harry would choose.

Harry, however, didn't seem to have any difficulty in his choice. Once his eyes found Hermione's, he set off in her direction. The Slytherins around Hermione grew silent, realizing Harry Potter was heading right for their table. He sat down across from his friend, next to Daphne.

"Hi!" Hermione enthusiastically greeted. She didn't really know what else to say and none of the girls around her did either.

". . . Not going to lie, this feels weird," he told her earnestly.

She nodded at that. Sitting with Harry at the Slytherin table was indescribably odd. "Are you going to get in trouble with Ginny for sitting here?" Hermione didn't want to be responsible for a fight between the young couple.

"Well, probably. . . actually yes. Yes, I will be getting in trouble," he looked down. "But I felt I needed to see you first. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, actually." The table chatter slowly picked back up again.

"I'm glad to hear that." He looked at the Slytherin girls next to him, all of whom seemed to be blatantly listening in on their conversation. "Is she really doing fine?" he asked them.

The girls all spoke at the same time, assuring him that Hermione was more well cared for then she knew. Harry believed them, glad he didn't have to worry about his friend's safety.

She cleared her throat to silence the other girls. Once they were quiet, she asked Harry, "Have you met Professor Platt yet?"

He shook his head. "How are his classes?"

Hermione was about to answer, when she was cut off by Pansy. "Who cares what his classes are like?" she squealed, "Have you SEEN his ARMS? Gods, he's sexy."

From the other side of the table, Tracey and Daphne's eyes widened as they tried to shush Pansy.

Pansy wouldn't be quieted, however. "WHAT? He's hot and you both know it," she screeched. "An-" she was interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly, barely far enough to see who it was that was interrupting her.

Professor Platt was standing directly behind her with a bemused expression.

". . . An- and that is what I heard those Gryffindors say during History of Magic. Obnoxious, right? Teachers should be praised for their teaching," Pansy lied, her face ten times paler than normal. She turned completely around toward Professor Platt, feigning innocence. "OH! Hello, Professor."

He chuckled before turning his attention to Harry. "You must be Harry Potter. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Platt reached his hand across the table to shake Harry's hand.

They shook hands and, being called to the front of the hall by Professor Vector, Platt walked toward the teacher's table. Once Platt was out of earshot, Harry focused on Hermione once again.

"He seems like an alright bloke."

Hermione assured him Platt was respectable. "His classes are okay," she admitted. "He's not as good as Lupin was, but I would say he's close behind. I can't really explain it- you'll see today."

The rest of breakfast, Harry and Hermione caught up. She told him all about the experience of being in Slytherin, particularly the strangeness of it all. When it came to discussing her Head Girl duties, Harry was surprised to hear that Draco had been tolerable, but was glad nonetheless. The Slytherin girls stopped their own conversation at times to join in or just to listen to how Hermione felt about being in their house. Overall, Hermione was glad to be able to spend breakfast eating with her best friend- it was like old times.

Once the post came swooping in, Hermione looked up expectedly to wait for the _Daily Prophet_ article that would be published today. It dropped on her plate and, having already read it, she handed it to Harry. His eyes skimmed it without much interest. Hermione had already told both Harry and Ron what she told the reporter.

The rest of the hall receiving their newspaper subscription didn't seem shocked either. Hermione and Theo took away Paul's power when they refused to publish the article until after her name change. Everyone knew from the first night that Hermione Granger was now Hermione Nott- the only new information from the article was the details of how she discovered her heritage.

A few looks were sent her way, but she wasn't interrupted during breakfast at all. Finishing their conversation, Harry and Hermione shoved down their last bits of food before heading their separate ways for the day.

By the time Defenses Against the Dark Arts rolled around, Hermione was properly exhausted from the day, but excited to see what Harry's role in today's lesson would be. She sat in her assigned seat next to Draco and pulled her books out of her bag.

"Are you ready for the prefect meeting tonight?" he asked her in a whisper. Class was due to start any minute.

Her mind blanked before realizing what he was talking about. "Shoot!" she exclaimed, drawing the attention of the Hufflepuffs at the next table. Hermione reduced her voice to a whisper and said, "I completely forgot. I'm sorry." She paled in realization that she hadn't done anything to prepare.

"It's okay," Draco reassured Hermione upon seeing the look on her face. "I've made up an agenda."

She relaxed and thanked him quietly, explaining that her mind has been on Harry's visit today. She wouldn't have openly admitted it, but Draco's preparedness since becoming Head Boy, impressed her; it was almost as though the Draco Malfoy she knew prior to this year, wasn't the same man sitting next to her.

Just then, Professor Platt and Harry walked down from the office space and into the classroom area. Almost every girl in the class instantly halted their conversations and turned their rapt attention toward the professor. This did not escape Hermione's notice as her face took on a look of disgust.

Draco shot her a sidelong glance. "Remember Lockhart. . ." he muttered, just audible enough for Hermione to barely catch.

Her face melted into indifference with that statement. It was true- Hermione had been exactly like all of these girls when Lockhart was the Defense professor. Suddenly, her disgust was put into perspective and she didn't have a retort for Draco.

"Hello, everyone. As you can see, we have a guest with us today," Platt said to the class, motioning toward Harry.

"Hello," Harry waved awkwardly.

The girls of the class barely paid him any mind, but a few nodded their heads to Harry in acknowledgement.

"We were going to do advanced shield charms, but I would like today to be a review since we have Harry," Platt explained. "Everyone, find a place in the room with your desk partner and we'll review nonverbal stunning and shield charms."

The room broke into motion as everyone spread across the classroom. Being a bit advanced, Hermione and Draco found a place at the back of the room and stood ten feet apart.

"Go ahead an-" Draco started, but was interrupted by a silent stunning spell from Hermione. He fell on his back, the sound startling several students nearby. At the front of the room, Professor Platt halted his discussion with a student to see what the noise was.

"Oh. I knew I was forgetting something," he said once his eyes fell on prone Draco. He waved his wand toward the cabinets along the wall and their doors flew open. "We have pillows."

Hermione helped Draco up before returning to her place. "Need some pillows?"

"I don't need pillows." He quickly waved his wand toward Hermione with the intent to surprise her, an intense look of focus on his face. She cast a silent shield charm effortlessly.

"Are you sure?" She smirked at him, enjoying the frustration he was already beginning to show.

Without replying, he flicked his wand at her once again. Hermione lazily waved her wand, casting a powerful _Protego_ charm in return.

Draco's face grew red. "How the. . ."

She blew out an exaggerated sigh and put her wand down. "Draco, we learned this sixt-" she cut herself off by firing a stunning spell at Draco, catching him off guard once again. He fell on his back for the second time.

"Well done, Miss Nott," Professor Platt said from nearby. "10 points to Slytherin."

She smiled. "Thank you, professor."

Harry walked over and they shared a laugh at how helpless Draco was. He stood over the other boy. "I thought trolls were resistant to stunning spells. Hm. . . You learn something everyday, I guess."

Hermione cast the reviving spell on Draco and they continued practicing. At one point, Draco was successful in stunning Hermione, but it was only because she intentionally didn't cast a shield charm. His frustration was becoming annoying rather than funny, so she let him win. Surprisingly, she was enjoying herself.

The class came back together eventually and they all resumed their seats. It seemed as though many students received helpful tips from Harry.

"Everyone thank Harry!" Platt instructed the class. A chorus of 'thank you's' followed and Harry smiled. Once the room died down, he continued, "As you all should be aware, seventh years are expected to use nonverbal spells in all classes and coursework. I expect a foot of writing on my desk next time we meet about the importance of nonverbal spells. Dismissed!" Platt concluded.

Harry walked over to Hermione's table and hugged her. "I'm going to find Ginny, then I'll have to leave. I promised Mrs. Weasley I'd come to the Burrow for dinner tonight."

She returned his hug tightly. "Promise to write?"

"Absolutely," he said, prying himself away from her death-grip. With a smile, he bid Platt goodbye and left the Defense classroom.

A few hours later, Hermione left for dinner with the Slytherin girls. Although she didn't know them very well yet, she could find herself slowly fitting into their group.

They rounded a corner and Daphne only narrowly avoided tripping on a bundle of something on the floor. Pansy shrieked loudly, startling all the girls.

Hermione lit her wand to get a good look. Laying on the floor at their feet, pale and breathing heavily, was one of the first year Slytherin boys. His face was covered with small marks that she couldn't identify. One of his robe sleeves was badly ripped, revealing the same marks on his arm.

After analysing the situation, Hermione told Tracey to go get the Headmistress. After Tracey left, she then bent down and checked his breathing, which was stable.

She grew angry. This boy was only eleven years old- who would do such a thing to such a young kid? Her mind went back to her list from the night before and her ideas for house unity.

After several minutes, Hermione was starting to wonder when McGonagall would be there. She started to plan out something to do, when the Headmistress came rushing down the stairs toward them with Madam Pomfrey and Tracey following closely behind.

Ten minutes later, Hermione and the girls found themselves at Slytherin table explaining what happened to Theo and Draco.

"Bloody Gryffindors," Theo growled.

Hermione turned toward him, a flash of anger going across her face before remembering her new house. "You don't know it was them," she countered.

All the Slytherins around her turned to look at her with looks of doubt. Tracey spoke up slowly, "Hermione. . . Oh, Hermione. This was definitely a Gryffindor's work." Everyone around the table, excluding Hermione, nodded solemnly.

Before she could retort, Theo chimed in, "Other houses bicker with Slytherin, of course, but Gryffindor is often the only one that becomes physical."

She was about to defend her old house, but was interrupted.

"Sorry for the delay, students," McGonagall said from the front podium, apparently having just arrived, "I have an announcement to make, which I think you will all find exciting. Hogwarts will be hosting an Autumn Ball this Halloween, planned by your Head Boy and Head Girl. More details will follow, but please start thinking about acquiring formal wear." Excited whispers already began to break out across the room. McGonagall cleared her throat to silence them. "That is all. Let us eat!"

She tried to start up their conversation again. "Are you saying that Slytherin doesn't do its fair share of violence to other-"

"Not now, Hermione," Tracey insisted. "There's to be a _ball_!" Her eyes lit up.

Pansy squealed before listing off all the things she had to do for preparation. Daphne absent-mindedly nodded her head along with Pansy's list while scanning the tables for potential dates.

Hermione rolled her eyes. _Figures_, she thought to herself. She turned toward the boys and noticed they were just as enthralled with McGonagall's news.

"Merlin. . . I hate the pressure of these things. I don't even like anyone at Hogwarts." Theo quietly revealed to Draco.

"I don't know what to tell you, mate. You need to ask someone pretty soon, though," Draco advised.

"Hm. . . Who are you going to ask?"

Draco thought about it for a moment and looked up. His eyes fell on Hermione, who was wordlessly listening in on their conversation. "Hey- Want to go to the ball with me?" He asked her.

The Slytherin girls next to her became silent to watch. Hermione's eyebrows drew together for the briefest moments. She thought that as Head Boy and Girl, they were expected to go together. In any case, she knew, accepting Draco's invitation would be infinitely easier than having to find a date later. If nothing else, Draco and herself would be an example for the rest of the school. "Yeah. Okay."

Draco, smooth as ever, didn't bat an eye as he turned to Theo. "See? No pressure to it. Why don't you ask. . . Hmm. . . Milicent?"

Her brother's lips turned up. "Ha ha," he said sarcastically. "Seriously, though."

"You'll find someone, Theo," Hermione reassured him. Theo nodded at that and smiled at her in appreciation.

Once the boys left the hall and she was finishing up the last bits of dessert on her plate, the Slytherin girls got her attention.

"I should have known," Tracey shook her head with a knowing smile. "You and Draco. Of course!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione earnestly replied.

"We see the way you look at eachother, Hermione. I, for one, think it's sweet," Daphne beamed. "Draco needs someone like you."

Hermione's mouth fell open in shock. She _did not _like Draco, and he didn't like her either. In fact, she wasn't even going to give them the satisfaction of a denial. Shaking her head, she stood up and walked out of the hall.

If she wasn't out of earshot, she would have heard Pansy's next words.

"I hope for Draco's sake that she comes to terms with her feelings soon."

Later that night before the meeting, Hermione found herself in the common room waiting for Draco.

She tried to convince herself that she didn't feel anything for Draco, and could easily see where the girls were coming from. They _had _been spending a lot of time together recently, but it wasn't her fault, she reasoned. Hermione and Draco shared duties, a very similar schedule, and a house.

She really didn't have a problem going to the dance with Draco, but wished she could change other people's perceptions. If her housemates thought there was something between herself and Draco, the rest of the school would undoubtedly think the same thing. Yes, she had forgiven Draco for his wrongdoings and they were on friendly terms, but that didn't change things, namely the fact that he was still Draco Malfoy.

Hermione looked up to see Draco descending the boy's dormitories with a piece of parchment she assumed was the agenda for tonight.

"Ready?" he asked her. Nodding, they left the room together for the prefect meeting.

Once out in the corridor, he handed her the agenda to look over. Glad for something to occupy her mind, she read over it several times, although it only contained a few bullet points. She handed it back to him after being sure it contained no errors. They walked in silence.

The door to the prefect meeting room was in sight, when Hermione felt an arm on her elbow. Draco gently led her to the side of the hallway.

He seemed uncomfortable, his eyes avoiding Hermione's confused ones. "Uh. . . I wanted to thank you for, uh, saying you'll go the ball with me," he mumbled. "I know it probably looked like I asked you just so that I would have a date, but um. . ."

Her seriousness melted away. "Yeah?"

"I genuinely wanted to go with you. I think we'll have a good time."

She smiled. Hermione had never seen Draco so nervous. _Who cares what everyone else thinks?_ she asked herself. "I'm glad you asked me to go with you, Draco."

Draco smiled briefly before turning around and entering the prefect room. Hermione waited behind a few moments longer and followed. Maybe the ball wouldn't be so bad after all.


	14. Respect

Okay, so sometimes I get really into the characters here. Like, "What would Draco do in this situation?" or "How does Theo's childhood reflect his outlook on that statement." In this chapter in particular, I kept saying to myself, "How the hell would X respond to that?" I try not to make things easier on myself by hitting delete on the last several paragraphs. When I doubt myself, I stop writing and then I get writer's block.

In other news, writing this chapter. The last part has been planned for a long time and I'm glad it could finally be put into writing.

* * *

Before coming to Hogwarts, Hermione dreaded the end of summer. Her parents sympathized, of course, but didn't truly understand her situation. Unlike Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Granger were incredibly bubbly and had absolutely no difficulty making friends.

The last week of summer leading up to grade five, she remembered sulking for long periods of time in her bedroom. Despite having only attended one school for her entire life, she was an outcast.

Lunch rolled around on that first day back and, as usual, she found herself eating in the corner of the library. Food was banned, however Mr. Demelo, the kind librarian, seemed to relate to Hermione. The older man would oftentimes bring his own lunch to Hermione's corner and they would talk. These moments were the only times she felt genuinely welcome at her school.

The first day, Mr. Demelo was in a rush to organize the library books, so Hermione ate her sandwich alone in silence, which didn't bother her much. Her maths teacher told them they'd be doing a line graph project later in the year, so she was trying to work out her study schedule.

_Perfect_, she thought to herself after figuring out her schedule, _I'll have plenty of time to learn the material and get a head start on the project_. Needing to see her schedule written out, she left the room in search of paper. She was about to round a corner, when she heard her name. She pulled back and listened.

"That freak eats in the library, y'know?"

"Rubbish. Food isn't allowed in there."

"Her and Mr. Demelo are loverrrs," the voice drawled. "How else would you explain it?"

There was a pause. "I dunno. He probably just pities her like all the other adults, 'cause I doubt he's a nonce."

"Shut up, Craig. . . I hear something."

Hermione quickly fled as quietly as she could. Tears were streaming down her face before she reached the library.

Bright and early, Hermione entered the Hospital Wing to check up on the Slytherin boy. Scanning the narrow room, her eyes fell onto Theo, who was standing over one of the beds. She walked over.

"How's he doing?"

Theo's face remained neutral. "Alright. Pomfrey gave him a sleeping draught, so he'll be out until tonight."

When they discovered the boy on their way to dinner, the corridor was too dark to truly see the damage done. Now, in the light, she was able to get a good look.

All over his face and neck were dozens of red, scratch-like marks that ranged from a centimeter to an inch long. The left side of his face was hit the worst, particularly below his eye. Although his arms were under the blanket, Hermione knew similar markings covered his arm.

Theo realized Hermione was studying the young boy. "It was some kind of curse. Probably banned, if this is the result."

_Who could do such a thing?_ Hermione internally seethed. What could this young boy have possibly done to warrent such a curse? Her face reddened in silent anger.

Her brother pursed his lips in thought without allowing his anger to consume him. He needed to think rationally. "We look after our own, Hermione."

With her own thoughts running wild, she nodded.

"No," Theo said to her, turning to fully face her, "I don't think you understand. We _look after _our own."

Her eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Yes, Theo. I heard you the first time. Slytherins look after-" Understanding dawned on her and she realized what he was implying. "-No. . . I'm Head Girl. I can't condone that."

A corner of Theo's lip turned up. "You don't have to be there. . ."

"We aren't going to fight violence with violence, Theo!" Madam Pomfrey poked her head around one of the privacy screens to scowl at Hermione. She shot the older woman a smile and feigned innocence. Pomfrey's head disappeared around the screen. "If we hurt whoever did this, we're no better than they are," she finished in a whisper.

He turned away in a visual scoff. "They won't get away with this, Hermione. I'm sorry. I know you still feel like a Gryffindor, but we're your house now." He paused. "At some point, you'll need to come to terms with that." Theo moved to leave, but she reached a hand out towards his forearm. He stopped, inclining his head slightly to indicate he was listening.

"I'm going to talk to McGonagall. We're going to do something about this. I promise." Her voice was confident, but Theo still wasn't convinced. She took her hand off his arm, and he walked out of the Hospital Wing.

She needed to act before the Slytherins did anything rash. She would never be able to unite the houses if her housemates sought revenge. Turning back towards the young boy, she conjured a dark blue peony and placed it on his bedside table.

Aside from an alchemy explosion during her second class that morning, Hermione's day was fairly uneventful. She had a pile of homework weighing on her mind, but she knew that she would need to put it off until after dinner. She gave Theo her word that she would speak to McGonagall.

Once her free period rolled around, Hermione ditched her heavy bag in the Slytherin common room and left for the Headmistress's office. She then realized, in that moment, that she didn't know how she would approach the subject with her former head of house.

She knew she couldn't jump in and say that something needed done for house unity. Obviously McGonagall knew that much. But if everyone knew there was an issue with interhouse relations, why wasn't anything being done to solve the problem? Had the Hogwarts' staff given up?

One of her solutions that she came up with in her brainstorm was an inter-house program, of sorts. Hermione's idea was to pair students up that were from different houses and have them do. . . something. Her thought hadn't fully developed yet. She didn't think something would need to be done so urgently.

Another one of her thoughts, noticeably more thought-out, was to abolish the houses for a day. Logistically, it would be fairly simple: they could charm everyone's uniforms to temporarily be the same, no house points would be awarded or deducted, and all students would sleep in the Great Hall that night. As thoughtful as this idea was, she knew McGonagall and the professors would never approve. Although the house system promotes segregation, it's the foundation on which the school is built.

Hermione looked up and realized she was at the gargoyle entrance to the Headmistress's office. She smiled, remembering being here with Draco and making a fool of herself. "Needlework."

The statues granted her entrance and she moved onto the staircase. Once at the top of the rotation, she knocked. McGonagall beckoned her inside and she opened the door.

The older woman sat behind the grand oak desk and seemed to be crocheting an elaborate blanket with incredible focus. She looked up over the top of her glasses to peer at Hermione, who visibly shrank at the look on McGonagall's face.

"Yes, Miss Nott?" she said, irritated at the interruption.

Hermione was surprised to see that the Headmistress had enough downtime to crochet, but decided not to press her on this matter. "Erm. . . I went to see the first year in the hospital wing this morning and it got me thinking that we need to do something about house unity. . ." _So much for being eloquent_, she immediately thought to herself.

McGonagall, in an air of disinterest, gave out a sigh. She set her half-finished project down and gave Hermione all her attention. "You should know-"

"- Before you say anything," she interrupted, "I think I should explain. I know you're aware of the issue the houses are facing right now, but we need to actually do something about it. I know I'm only the Head Girl, but I have had quite a few ideas. I don't know how many of these ideas you'll approve of, but I do think they are good starting points for further discussion. Now, I didn't expect to need these ideas so soon, so know they aren't finalized by any means. The first-"

"-Miss Nott-"

"-The first, which you are much more likely to approve of, is an inter-house program. We could pair students off with each other-"

"-Miss Nott. Please-"

"-These students could form a team for different events that we would host-"

"-MISS NOTT!"

Hermione's eyes widened and she grew quiet immediately.

McGonagall, glad to have finally stopped the rant, pinched the bridge of her nose in agitation. "While I admire your passion, Mr. Malfoy already came to me for this exact problem. We have already decided upon the action we will take. Now, is there anything else?"

_Draco came to talk to McGonagall already?_ Hermione wondered internally. "What are you planning on doing?"

Wanting to get back to her blanket, McGonagall answered, "We will be doing career groups. If you want further details, I suggest you talk to your fellow Head of House." With that, she pulled the blanket back onto her lap and resumed her craft, dismissing her.

Hermione left the room in confusion. Although she was disappointed that she couldn't put her ideas into effect, she was impressed with Draco for taking such quick action. He was already a step ahead of her.

She still had half of her free period left until the next class, so Hermione retrieved her book bag, made herself comfortable in front of the common room fire, and got a head start on homework.

Twenty minutes later, Draco walked through the entrance of the room and made for the boy's dorms.

"Hey," Hermione called out to him. He stopped and turned around to face her. "Did you talk to McGonagall?"

"Yeah, this morning. Why?"

"It's just. . . I went to her office to talk about suggestions for inner-house peace and she told me that you already talked to her."

He smirked. "Beat you to it, huh?"

"Yes, well, it doesn't really matter, does it? As long as _something_ is done, I'm happy."

Draco seemed unconvinced at that. "You want to know what we're doing." It wasn't a question.

Hermione nodded. "All she told me was that it had something to do with careers."

"Everyone in fifth year and older is going to be sorted into a group based on what they want to do after Hogwarts. Every month or so, someone from this field will come and meet up with the group."

This seemed like a good program on the surface, but she still had questions. "What about younger students?"

Draco knew she would ask this question, and had an answer at the ready. "Exploration groups. They'll get to learn about different careers without having to commit to one until fifth year."

"Okay. . . but how will this help with inner-house unity? This seems like a great idea for a career program, but how could it possibly solve the issue?"

He smiled, glad she was challenging his and McGonagall's idea. If Hermione wasn't asking questions, he would be worried. "There will be students from all houses in every group and they'll have to work together for the group assignments as the year progresses."

She nodded while trying to discover a hole to the problem. When she found none and was thoroughly pleased with Draco's idea, she gathered her books into her bag.

Draco, still in the common room, smirked. "When will you stop underestimating me?"

Mimicking his expression, she stood. "I suppose once I'm impressed." She left the common room for her last class of the day, leaving Draco lost for words.

Dinner soon rolled around and began with an announcement from McGonagall about the upcoming career groups. Students across the hall didn't seem too thrilled about the program, but quickly changed opinion when the Headmistress announced that it was to take place during a school day.

Several times during dinner, Hermione's eyes traveled across the hall at the Gryffindor table. If the Slytherins were right and it was a Gryffindor that hexed one of the first-year snakes, which one of them did it? These were the people she had called family for the last six years- would they really hurt an 11 year-old kid?

Hermione had a hundred thoughts running through her mind about house unity and the events to come this year. She tried to tune into the Slytherin girls' conversation, but found something unusual: they weren't talking. Even though she usually appreciated silence, the girls were always talking; their sudden silence was unnerving.

"Hey," Hermione said in suspicion. "How are you guys doing?"

Daphne smiled innocently. "Just fine, Hermione. How are you?" After a venomous look shot her way by Pansy, she looked back down at her plate.

_Something is definitely going on with them_, Hermione thought to herself. Slytherins could keep secrets well, however, so she didn't press them.

Without the distraction of the girls' conversation, as she had been hoping for, Hermione's thoughts came back to the kid in the hospital wing. Her brother never gave her a definitive answer on whether or not he would abandon revenge on the Gryffindors, but she doubted he would. Even though there was a plan in place for the house unity efforts, she knew there would be Slytherins that weren't satisfied. She still needed to ensure her fellow housemates played nice.

Theo stood up from the other side of the table and left the Great Hall. Hermione saw her opportunity and decided to take it. Once Theo was out of earshot, she turned to Draco. "Hey, Draco. Would you do something for me?"

He slowly finished chewing his pie, thinking his answer over. "Will it impress you?" he replied cheekily.

"Perhaps." Draco nodded to her and she continued, "I need you to tell me if Slytherin is planning revenge on Gryffindor."

He scoffed lightly. "We're always planning." Hermione thought he was kidding, but the look in his eyes told her he was completely serious.

"Okay. . . then let me know if Slytherin moves out of the planning stage."

He shook his head slightly and looked at her in wonder. "Why are you still protecting them?"

Hermione sighed. "Will you tell me if they're going to act? That's all I ask."

Draco hesitantly nodded. "Just know that if you side with Gryffindor, our house won't take it lightly. You're one of us now."

She stood and left the hall. It would be the weekend tomorrow and she was looking forward to a long night's rest to think about everything that had happened today.

Getting back to her room later, she put on her best pajamas and sat in bed for a while to read. She was hoping the girls would get back and go to bed so that she could fall to sleep in a silent room, but they still hadn't gotten back to the dorms. She resigned. Pulling her drapes closed, she cast a silencing charm and closed her eyes.

Hermione had just fallen asleep in her four poster bed, when she was woken up by sudden light. Someone had pulled the curtains open and was yanking at the blankets covering her.

"Wakey wakey!" Pansy screeched. Daphne and Tracey stood behind her with concerned looks.

"Ah- what? What's going on? What time is it?" Hermione asked in a panic.

"10 o'clock," Daphne replied softly. "We're awfully sorry to-"

"- Shut up, Daphne," Pansy chastised. "Get up, Hermione. It's an emergency."

Warily, but quickly, she moved her feet to the floor and grabbed her wand.

"Oh, you won't be needing that," Tracey told her.

Hermione was incredibly confused. What kind of emergency was this? Had she not been rudely woken up, her guard would have been up.

"Now," Pansy beckoned her, moving across the room, "the emergency is over here."

Hermione stumbled over and saw what Pansy was motioning to: a dress catalog. "I just want to go back to bed," she groggily told them.

Pansy feigned dramatic shock. "How rude. We're all awake for _you_, Princess Nott."

Hermione's face shriveled in confusion. "And _why are_ we awake?"

Tracey and Daphne pulled out additional dress magazines from behind their backs with knowing smiles. Despite fatigue, understanding fell on Hermione.

"We have ages until the autumn ball. Can't I go back to sleep?"

Pansy, Tracey, and Daphne shook their heads. With a tired sigh, Hermione sat down on the floor. "You guys should know, I'm going to have trouble staying awake."

Tracey walked across the room to the dresser and pulled the bottom drawer open. She walked back to the group with four, neon yellow potions that almost seemed to glow.

"No. . . invigoration draughts? I'm pretty sure those are banned," Hermione cautioned.

The other girls looked at each other, having a silent conversation. Pansy broke eye contact with them to look at Hermione. "Look- if you can stay awake, fantastic. Let us know the minute you're knackered, though. We'll keep a potion for you." She passed the potions around and the other girls downed their draught's contents.

They sat down with Hermione on the floor and began combing through the catalogs.

She noticed that Millicent's bed was empty and asked the girls where she was. She hoped they weren't excluding the other girl.

Tracey and Pansy snickered. "Boyfriend," Daphne mumbled, barely taking her eyes off the catalog in front of her. She seemed to be admiring a bold, strapless red gown.

The bright dress caught the attention of Tracey. "No offense, Daph, but I don't think that one's really _you_. Maybe something more. . . I dunno. . ."

"Subtle," Pansy supplied.

"Yes! Subtle," Tracey finished.

Taking their advice, Daphne set the catalog aside and found another from the pile, this one featuring primarily black dresses.

Although it had only been fifteen minutes, Hermione had already nod off. Tracey placed the energy potion in her hand, thinking she would wake, and told her to drink up.

Hermione, still not fully awake, uncorked the vial and downed the contents. Her eyes flew open as a course of energy went through her body. "Wha-?"

The other girls laughed. They hadn't expected her to unknowingly drink the potion, but it was infinitely funnier that she had.

Hermione's posture perked up and she started drumming her fingers on the floor next to her. Her cheeks flushed. "I feel like I've just run a marathon," she gushed.

"Aww," Pansy smiled. "I remember my first invigoration draught."

"Wow, my heart is beating fast. Wait, 'first'? Do you guys do this often?"

Everyone shook their heads except for Pansy, who remained expressionless.

Before anyone could comment, Daphne tossed Hermione a catalog and, full of energy, she flipped through it quickly. "No. . . no. . . no. . . no. . ." she trailed off, repeating the word for every page.

The others stopped looking through their own catalogues to watch Hermione in amusement. Although they had all consumed the potion, the effects weren't quite as strong for the other girls.

"Hermione. . ." Daphne started, "do you maybe want to take a break?"

"Hm. No. Wait- yes."

Pansy eased forward on the floor. "Perfect. I think we all have some questions about you and Draco." She smirked, knowing truthful answers were more likely to come out into the open with Hermione in this state.

"Yes! What do you think about him?" Tracey added. Daphne and Pansy turned to Hermione enthusiastically.

"Well. . . he's alright, I guess."

Pansy smiled. "It's okay. You can trust us- Slytherins are excellent at secret-keeping."

Hermione, in this energetic state, relaxed a fraction of an inch. "I. . . think I. . . respect him." Her face reflected nervousness, as though she just disclosed an incredible piece of information.

The other girls waited to hear more, but quickly realized that was all Hermione was going to say. Their disappointed reactions came immediately after.

"That's it?" Daphne huffed aggressively. As she rarely revealed anything other than positivity, everyone looked to her in shock. She shrugged.

"Yes, that's it. But we've already come a long way for me to respect him. He used to be a prat." The other girls nodded in agreement.

"Okay. . . so, explain why you respect him. I have a hard time understanding how anyone can merely respect him without any feelings involved," Tracey said.

Hermione thought about this for several moments before coming up with a few reasons. "Hm. Well, he apologized to me and got me pumpkin juice on the train, which was very helpful. I thought I was going to pass out, but he was right there helping me. Then. . . um. Oh! He works with me when it comes to our duties. Usually, I have to take on everything by myself, but he's made agendas, reminded me of meetings, and actually comes up with good ideas. He also took care of something with McGonagall just hours before I was going to. Since we've come back, he's just been really sweet and thoughtful." She hadn't even begun to mention other situations, such as his help with owling Harry and Ron, the fun they had in Defense with nonverbal spells, or his agreement to notify her of impending house violence.

The other girls smirked at each other before turning back to their roommate. "Hermione, hon," Tracey began softly, "I think this is more than you give it credit for."

Hermione's eyebrows drew together. _Does this actually mean something? I'm sure he's just being nice_, she internally reflected.

Silence overtook the room, making her lack-of-reply even more obvious. She snatched one of the catalogs back up and flipped through it, more slowly than before.

The girls shared another look before following her lead. Several minutes passed, everyone in the room utterly absorbed in the available dresses.

Finally, Hermione's eyes lit up on one one the dresses. "Oh, wow."

Tracey took the catalog from her and the other two girls joined her in looking at the page. "Hermione. . . this is stunning. You would do Slytherin proud in this number," Pansy commented. The others nodded enthusiastically.

She took the page back and fully examined it. Once her eyes fell on the price of the elegant gown, she blew out a pronounced sigh. "It's out of my budget."

The others laughed, which drew Hermione's head up quickly.

"You're a Nott, remember? No price is out of your budget here," Tracey reminded her.

She looked down once again to admire the gown. It _would _be funny to see Draco's face when she came to the ball wearing this. Her Yule gown had been pretty, yes, but modest; the dress in front of her was downright sexy.

Hermione head came up to slowly make eye contact with the girls and she nodded. For some reason, and it may have been the side effects of the invigoration draught, she couldn't wait to see Draco's face when she wore this to the ball.

* * *

Do you guys read these things? Probably not, but I'll use this space anyways-

What do ya think? I remember those sleepovers where everyone would reveal a bit too much about themselves when they started getting tired and since Hermione didn't have many friends before coming to Hogwarts, I wanted her to have that experience, too.


	15. Doubts

Arg! I was looking back over my published chapters and saw some of my dashes deleted! Apparently when I copy and paste the story over from Microsoft Word, FF deletes the dashes I use to break up the story. Oh well. I'll be paying more attention from now on and using x's, I guess.

I got back into writing! I stopped for a few weeks, but have gotten back into the groove. Thank you all for the positive reviews- you guys make my day.

* * *

September had gone by in a rainy blur.

A week after being admitted to the Hospital Wing, the Slytherin boy, who Hermione learned was named Milford, was healthy enough to get back to his classes. Even more so than before, he walked with a sense of paranoia.

Although Milford hadn't been able to identify his attacker in the dark hallway, he had heard the spell attacker used. McGonagall and the other staff had never heard the spell before, which made the process of finding the attacker all the more difficult. Theo, Draco, and the other older Slytherin boys took it upon themselves to support Milford, which Hermione was glad for. She imagined the young boy would be overwhelmed with questions from others had it not been for his Slytherin peers.

Surprisingly, Hermione found herself rather settled into her new house. Her Gryffindor perspective for the first six years there had been that the snakes were cold, calculating, and not to be trusted. After a month of eating lunch with the Slytherin girls, however, she found all of her initial expectations shattered. In a way, it was scary how well she fit in with the snakes. Milford's attack still fresh in her mind, she even began to slightly distrust the Gryffindors.

Hermione's Head Girl duties, new house, new heritage, advanced class schedule, and house unity cause all came together to stress her out. O.W.L.s in the fifth year had overwhelmed her, but nothing could compare to how she felt now. The tests at the end of the year determined her future career and despite everyone else's faith in Hermione, she wasn't so sure that she would pass them. By the middle of October, she was definitely looking forward to the autumn ball and having a break from her responsibilities.

Two weeks after ordering her gown for the ball, it arrived in lavish, gold paper packaging from Diagon Alley. Those around her at the Slytherin table eyed the package with curiosity, but she didn't dare open it in front of everyone. Before her first class, she ran down to the dungeons to hang it in the closet and fully appreciate it in person. She really hoped she would have more than one opportunity to wear the expensive gown.

A few days before the ball, Headmaster McGonagall finally announced at breakfast that there were group leaders found for every career group and that all the details had been worked out.

After the announcement, Hermione asked the others what they wanted to do after Hogwarts. She had had some idea of their careers, but wanted to confirm her thoughts.

As usual, Pansy spoke first. "I want to be a journalist for _Witch Weekly_. I- don't scoff, Tracey- I'm really good with people."

"I didn't scoff," Tracey lied. "Besides, I think journalism would suit you well, _Pansy_." She turned to face Hermione. "I'm hoping to become an intern for the Ministry this summer, either for Magical Education or Foreign Affairs. I think I could make a real difference."

"I didn't actually think anyone planned for employment with the Ministry, but that's a respectable career. Your smarts certainly wouldn't go to waste," Hermione complimented with a smile. She looked to Theo.

"Potioneer," he responded simply. Hermione had suspected as much. The years that Gryffindor and Slytherin shared the same Potions class, Theo's abilities were well known.

Daphne still hadn't answered, but decided to speak up when nobody asked her. "I'm going to be a tattoo artist."

Hermione choked on her pumpkin juice. "What?" Everyone else was just as confused as she was.

Daphne blushed. "I've just recently decided to be a tattoo artist. I love to draw and have always had an interest in magical tattoos." With everyone's eyes on her at this point, her face was completely red.

Theo put his hand on her arm in comfort. "Daphne, you just became ten times cooler." She grinned and her embarrassment began to fade.

"What do your parents think?" Draco asked.

"Oh," Daphne giggled innocently. "They think I'm going into a herbology career."

The group laughed. Herbology was much more believable that tattoo artist. Never in a million years would Hermione have guessed the secret ambitions of the quietest Slytherin. She didn't know anything about magical tattoos, but imagined she would be learning much more about them in the coming months from Daphne.

They continued their conversation through the end of breakfast. By the time Hermione left the Great Hall, she had a faint smile on her face. She wasn't alone in Slytherin as she had initially thought she would be.

xxxxx

_Harry and Ron,_

_Not much going on around here lately without you two. Mostly just stressing out about NEWTs. Today is the first day of our career groups (Honestly just time I could be using to study). _

_How are you guys doing? How's training going? Thinking about you guys! Can't wait to see you over break._

_Love, Hermione_

xxxxx

That afternoon, Hermione, Draco, and a couple other students found themselves in the hospital wing, gathered around Madam Pomfrey and a male healer from St. Mungo's.

Once everyone had arrived, the healer cleared his throat. "I suppose we should all go around and introduce ourselves. I'll start." He seemed to think for a few moments on what he was going to say. "My name is Rutherford Poke and I am a healer at St. Mungo's. When I was fifteen, my younger brother got a serious Quidditch injury while playing with his friends, and I was the only oldest person around to help him. I thought back to what I learned in school, raided my parent's potion cupboard, and got him the help he needed. From that point on, I knew I wanted to be a healer."

The other students and Madam Pomfrey took turns introducing themselves in the same manner. Besides Hermione and Draco, there were two Hufflepuffs, Hannah Abbott and a fifth year boy; a Gryffindor boy who she couldn't remember the name of; and a Ravenclaw girl that she vaguely recognized.

By the time it was Hermione's turn, she had already thought of what she was to say. "I'm Hermione Nott. I know I want to be a healer because I love helping others and think I have the right personality for it. My friends last year required dittany a few times for some minor injuries, and I loved having the knowledge to heal them."

Rutherford nodded and looked to Draco, as he was the only one who hadn't spoken yet. "Uh. . . Draco Malfoy." He seemed to hesitate. "At one point, I found myself completely unable to help someone in front of me that was in pain. I still haven't forgiven myself for not helping her. I'm going to be a healer because I want to make up for that." His eyes fell onto the floor. Almost everyone in the circle was glaring at him in disgust. Almost everyone. . .

Hermione tried to make eye contact with him, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. She didn't blame Draco for not intervening in her torture last year, even though she still had the scars from the incident. Had he intervened, there would have been drastic consequences for him.

"Okay! Well, it's nice to meet you all," Rutherford spoke into the tense room. He pulled out a sheet of parchment from his robes. "I- well actually, we'll save the questions until the end. For now, I'm going to pass things off to Madam Pomfrey."

She led them to the end of the room to a curtained-off bed. After pulling back the curtains, they saw that the bed was occupied by a sleeping Gryffindor student who Hermione knew was a second-year. The reason for him being in the wing was quite obvious from a quick glance- his two front teeth had grown down to the middle of his chest, grotesquely curving at the end like animal horns. This was the same spell that Draco hit Hermione with during their fourth year. She looked away from the boy on the bed.

"Does anyone know the hex that caused this?" Pomfrey asked the students.

Draco clearly recognized the effects the boy was suffering from and averted his gaze in shame. "Densaugeo."

Pomfrey nodded. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy. _You_ would know this one."

Seeing the boy with elongated teeth sparked Hermione's memories and how embarrassed she had been that day. She had thought she'd forgiven Draco for his past wrongdoings, but perhaps she had been too quick to make her judgement. He had given her a quick apology on the train, but did he really mean it? Did he only say it to manipulate Hermione into getting along with him? A rush of insecurity hit her in that moment and she just wanted to be dismissed to be alone with her thoughts.

Rutherford, once again, failed to read the room. "Splendid! What do we do to return him to normal?"

The Ravenclaw girl, who was standing at the very back of the students, volunteered an answer. "Would you use Diminuendo?"

"A simple Reducio spell is adequate. Diminuendo tends to be more dangerous when it goes wrong," Madam Pomfrey advised. She then cast the spell on the boy's teeth and they watched as he returned to normal.

Several group questions later, Rutherford said goodbye to the students. After slinging her bag over her shoulder, Hermione was the first person out the door.

She didn't know where she would go to think, but knew she couldn't go back to the suffocatingly cold dungeons. With this thought in her mind, she set off for the astronomy tower. Once there, she found a comfortable window seat that overlooked the Great Lake.

Hermione had gotten along very well with the Slytherins the last month, but the memory from today sparked others that reminded her of the old distrust she held for the snakes. In Gryffindor tower with a fresh head, it was plain to see that they were manipulative and cunning; over the last month, however, her new housemates had become friends and she lowered her guard. Her integration into Slytherin had been. . . rather easy, she thought. _Too _easy.

_Are they even my friends?_ she couldn't help but think to herself. _How come I was immediately welcomed into Slytherin, despite years of disdain? More importantly: how could I have been so stupid? _Staring down at the grounds, she pulled her cloak closer to her body.

She knew they just had to be planning something. Her worst thought that came to mind was using her as some act against Gryffindor. Despite her cut ties with her old house, she knew that if anything were to happen to her at the hands of a Slytherin, Gryffindor house would be incensed. What if they were only pretending to be her friend to allow her to lower her guard?

The sound of approaching footsteps brought her out of her thoughts and she looked up. Theo stood in the doorway and after a few moments, walked in and sat down on a nearby windowsill in the small, round room. He shivered in the breeze.

"Didn't you go to the Potions classroom with your career group?" she asked him curiously.

He nodded. "I was coming back from the owlery when I saw you here. What's bothering you?"

"Nothing's bothering me," she replied a little too quickly.

He didn't miss a beat before responding, "What's troubling you, Hermione?" The sincere look on his face reminded her of his loyalties.

Hermione hesitated nonetheless. "Well. . ." she started, "do the Slytherins actually like me?"

His serious expression faded quickly and he started to chuckle. "That's what's got you here sulking? Hermione, they love you. I've never seen Pansy take to someone so quickly, and the others like you just fine."

She wasn't convinced yet. "But as a Gryffindor, they were extremely mean to me."

Theo sighed. "We were all little wankers. Remember when you hit Draco?"

"He deserved it," she mumbled.

"I don't doubt that he did, but do you understand my point?"

She did. Even though she could trust the Slytherins, however, she knew she would keep her guard a little closer to her from now on. She couldn't be too careful.

She stood up from her windowsill and moved across the room to hug Theo.

He stiffened. "Still not used to your hugs."

"Well, get used to it."

xxxxx

After dinner that night, Hermione found herself buried in the library by all of her school work. One would think that the last year of school would be relatively easy, but she now had the weight of her entire life on her.

Failing her NEWTs at the end of the year could prove to expand her suffering beyond Hogwarts. It was still possible to become a healer with failing test grades, but things would be much more difficult for her. Even if she found an employer willing to hire her, she wasn't sure she would have faith in her abilities if she failed her NEWTs. What sort of healer can't identify the five healing properties of bubotuber pus or the key points of the progression of Scrofungulus?

Thoughts of her career as a healer kept her going, despite exhaustion. The other seventh year students scoffed at her stress, but they would soon follow suit. Unlike her peers, Hermione _would not_ push this off until May.

Draco sometimes joined her in the library, sitting at a different table and buried in his own revisions, but not often. He had his own agenda to be busy with, and she could tell that Quidditch was often at the top of that list.

She was glad that Theo didn't share this passion with Draco. Had he been on the team, Hermione was sure that he would make her attend games. Quidditch game days were the best time to be in the library and catch up on studying.

However today, surrounded by unfinished work and a million things on her mind, she just couldn't concentrate. She tried to tell herself that if she finished her Transfiguration essay that she could stay up reading before bed, but incentivizing rarely worked for her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't focus.

Her eyes drifted up and toward the library shelves. _An overstuffed bookshelf really is a beautiful sight_, she thought to herself.

She shook her head from the distraction and tried to focus once more. When her attempts were useless, she began to pack up her books. This wasn't going to go anywhere at this point and sleep would be a better use of time.

A sudden voice made her jump. "There you are." It was Draco.

She smiled. "Did you come looking for me?"

He obviously knew she was lying, but decided not to push. "Well, uh. . . you didn't come back to the common room and, erm, you're usually back by now."

Hermione's smile grew and she gathered the rest of her stuff into her bag and they returned to the common room.

Theo was the only one left in the room and he sat in one of the armchairs, nearly asleep. He jumped when the brick wall entrance faded away. "Where were you?"

"I was in the library, Theo. You didn't need to stay up."

He scratched the back of his head and gave out a yawn. "I was worried about you. Send word next time or something." On his way to the boy's dormitories, he patted her shoulder on the way past.

His thoughts warmed her heart. Staying up to make sure she was okay was more than Harry or Ron ever did for her. She would need to find him a very nice Christmas gift for all he had done for her.

xxxxx

_Hermione,_

_Sorry for sending this out so late. Let us know how your career group went._

_Things are going well over here. A few days ago, we found a mind healer for Molly and we're trying to figure out how to get her to see him. Otherwise, nothing much going on around here either. We began training, as you know, and it's definitely wearing us down. We're exhausted, but okay. _

_Love, Harry and Ron_

_P.S.- Don't stress yourself out over NEWTs, please. You have plenty of time to study and will do fine._

* * *

Looking forward to the ball next chapter? Me too! What do you think Hermione's going to wear?


	16. Butterflies

Pretty frustrated with ff this week. I found a link to the dress I am imagining for Hermione, but you can't post clickable links in stories. If you're really interested in finding it to get a visual, you can Google: 'Terani Couture satin pink sheath dress with side slit' and it's the first image that pops up. Sorry!

* * *

The next morning, while the rest of the Slytherin girls were busy figuring out last minute accessorizing details for the ball that night, Hermione was in the Great Hall discussing decorations, table placement, and entertainment. By 11 a.m., she was exhausted. She and Draco bustled around the hall while some of the prefects followed, drinking in Hermione's words.

"They will be arriving at 7 tonight through Hogsmeade, so make sure Filch is there to escort them- actually, change that. Ask Professor Flitwick if he would be willing to bring them to the grounds. He's a huge fan of The Weird Sisters, so I'm certain he will agree."

She turned around and gasped at the table behind her. "No, no, no. We agreed that there wouldn't be any pumpkins in the table decorations! This is an autumn ball, not some Halloween-fest. And where are the brown candles? These black ones are. . . gloomy. I specifically asked for brown candles to complement the yellow leaf garlands."

"Hermione," Draco said, trying to keep up with her pace.

Very predictably, she ignored him. "That table cannot go there. Absolutely not. I thought it was quite obvious: this is the dancing-area. Nobody is going to sit in the middle of the dance floor."

At this point, Draco put a hand on her arm to try to stop her. She turned halfway and gave him an irritated look. He gulped. "We've been at this for hours now. Don't you think the prefects have everything handled?"

She scoffed in response.

"Fine," Draco said in anger, "You know what? I'm done with this right here. Hardly anyone will be sitting at the tables and no one will notice the decorations. Nobody will pay attention to your color schemes either. I am hungry and I'm going back to the common room to eat. Join me when you see some sense." He left the Great Hall without waiting for an answer.

For a few moments, she stood there staring at Draco's retreating back, dumbfounded. Not many people stood up to her when she was in perfectionist-mode, and she didn't know what to do. Coming back to herself, she saw that the prefects around her, clearly tired and hungry as well, looked at her with hope in their eyes. "You guys can take a break. Be back at 2 to finish up." They turned and left without waiting for her to change her mind. Not having a crew, she returned to her common room.

xxxxx

At some point, the house elves had delivered their usual lunch dishes to each of the common rooms, along with pumpkin pasties, squash soup, and numerous bowls of assorted candies. Most of it had been picked over by the time Hermione arrived, so she grabbed what she could and ate in the corner of the busy common room. She didn't see any of her friends out here, so she was content in her own silence.

Theo came out of the boy's dormitories and scanned the common room. His eyes fell on Hermione and he called her over. They went down a hallway and into what she assumed was his dormitory. The room was packed with everyone in Slytherin that she was friendly with: Pansy, Tracey, Daphne, Draco, and Theo. The others smiled when she entered.

The room was nearly the same as her own, except for the mess that covered almost all of the floor; books, dirty laundry, and school supplies were everywhere. Pureblood wizards or not, they were still teenage boys.

Tracey waved her over and Hermione took the seat next to her on the edge of one of the beds. "Draco won't tell us. Who did you guys book for entertainment?" Everyone but Draco looked at her with unhidden hope.

She thought about telling her, but decided not to. "Hm. . . I guess you guys will just have to see."

They all collectively let out a dramatic sigh. "Come on!" Pansy screeched.

Hermione smiled. "Should we tell them?" she asked Draco.

He smirked and shook his head. Hermione looked back to the group and shrugged, letting them know that she was keeping her lips sealed. After they got over their annoyance, they discussed dates for a while. From listening to them, she gathered that Tracey was attending the ball with Malcolm Preece, the Hufflepuff Chaser; Pansy with Blaise; and, dateless, Theo with Daphne. She was thinking that the ball would shape up to be rather enjoyable.

xxxxx

7:30 rolled around that night and the Slytherin girls descended their dormitory stairs into the common room. They had spent the last hour and a half in their room getting ready, and they each looked stunning.

Tracey had opted for a simple, but well-made, halter gown. The top was sparsely sequined and white, fading into a plain, lilac satin fabric. Half her back was on display when she turned around, due to both the low cut of the dress and her bun at the nape of her neck. She wore a lilac and white chrysanthemum corsage, as well as a sprig of lilac in her hair.

Daphne had also gone for simple. Her navy, lace dress was a high-low style gown that showed off her calves and silver high heels. She also wore a plain, silver pendant-style necklace that stood out on top of the dark dress fabric. Her corsage was made up of gorgeous, silver-enchanted roses that seemed to shimmer with movement.

Pansy desired a different effect than the others, however. Her gown seemed to swallow her frame and, having been in the room when she dressed, Hermione knew there was a petticoat underneath. It was made of deep, emerald green tule on top with black, shimmering tule underneath. The gown accentuated her shoulders and black drop earrings, as it was an off-the-shoulder style on top. Seeing her housemate's reactions, she grinned as she descended the stairs.

However, it was not Pansy that they were gawking at. Hermione came last in a pale pink, body-hugging dress with a side slit up the right side, held up by simple spaghetti straps. In addition, she wore emerald green heels and an expensive, emerald snake necklace from her mother's jewelry box. Her favorite flowers adorned her wrist: pink peonies.

Draco descended into the common room, head down and grumbling about having to wear a pink tie to the ball, when he realized the girls were ready. His eyes snapped up and fell onto Hermione. He gave out a small gasp and stood dumbfounded for several seconds. "You. . . look really nice."

She smirked at that. "Not too bad yourself. Ready to go?"

His eyes still on her, he nodded. Hermione's arm on Draco's, they walked up the stairs to the main entryway and up to the closed Great Hall doors. Once there, Hermione disconnected from his arm to go double check last minute details, despite being assured by Draco that everything would be fine. Once satisfied, and close to eight, she returned to his side.

"Relax," he whispered to her. Before she could respond, the doors opened in front of them. As though having practiced, the Head Boy and Head Girl ushered themselves into the room, followed by the prefects and their dates, and finally the rest of the students. Hermione and Draco led everyone to the dance floor in front of the empty stage. Once a few moments passed, and students were still filing into the room at a slow pace, The Weird Sisters came onto the main platform and began one of their more popular songs: "This is the Night." Students cheered at the realization that they were to be the entertainment for the night.

Amid the cheering, Theo and Daphne found Hermione and Draco. They were grinning from ear to ear. "The Weird Sisters? I underestimated you two," Theo shouted.

"You should know better by now," Hermione responded loudly with a smile. She shared a knowing look with Draco. _If this impressed them, I can't wait to see their reactions to our finale_, she thought to herself.

After the first song ended, Myron Wagtail, the lead singer, gave a shout-out to Hermione and Draco for throwing such a "rad event", which was followed by applause from their peers. Several songs later, including Hermione's favorite: "Do the Hippogriff", she was exhausted. She retired to one of the tables with Draco. Soon, the rest of their group followed.

"I think this is better than Yule, you guys. The decorations are really nice, too," Tracey complimented.

Hermione's head snapped to Draco and she raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said nobody would notice my decorations?"

He gave a little smile. "You told Tracey to say that."

If they weren't bickering before, they sure were by now. "Did not! You just don't want to admit to being wrong."

"I'm perfectly capable of admitting I'm wrong. . . in situations where I actually am wrong." He shot her one of his smirks. They were completely ignoring the others in the group.

"You're insufferable."

"Why thank you, Hermione. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go tend to table nine. The tablecloth is slightly off-center."

The rest of the table watched as they bickered, sharing knowing looks. Once the Head Boy and Head Girl stopped their side conversation, the others pretended to be innocently absorbed in other things. At one point Pansy left the table, but Hermione and Draco paid this no mind.

"Anyway, Tracey, thank you."

Tracey, feigning attention on Malcolm's boutonniere, looked up. "Hm? Oh. . . yeah, no problem."

Pansy returned to the table a few moments later.

"Where did you go?" Draco asked.

"Oh, uh. . . Blaise is across the room flirting with some fourth year chick. I had to, um, go talk to him about something."

One of Draco's eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch in doubt. He looked around the room for Blaise and couldn't find him anywhere. "I don't see Blaise."

Pansy noticed this as well and her face paled slightly. "Wow, disgusting. He left with her? Blaise has really lowered his standards, huh?"

The Weird Sisters wrapped up their song with a long drum solo. The crowd cheered and Myron did a dramatic bow to the audience. "Thank you! Now for our last song of the night, we received a request for 'Magic Works'. Without further ado, this is for all you lovers out there." They started the song and couples across the floor paired off and began to sway in time to the slow music. McGonagall and Professor Spalding, the Transfiguration instructor, joined in last. Everyone at the table except for Hermione and Draco stood up and flowed back to the dance floor.

They sat there quietly for a few moments, Hermione subconsciously adjusting her dress a few times, before Draco looked at Hermione. "They obviously planned this out. Dance with me?" He stood and offered his hand to her.

She took it and followed him to the dance floor. Once there, she settled her hands on his shoulders and dismissed the odd feeling in her stomach. "Why would they plan this?"

He smirked. "Isn't it obvious?"

Her face shifted into confusion. Draco shook his head slowly. "Tsk Tsk. . . smartest witch of her age," he teased. When she didn't respond, he continued, "They think we're good together."

Tracey and Malcolm were dancing nearby and overheard their conversation. They made their way over while dancing to the music. "It's true," Tracey told her.

Hermione's cheeks were completely pink by this point. "Why is that?"

Tracey rolled her eyes. "You can be oblivious sometimes, Hermione. You are both going to be healers, for one. Plus, you're both the smartest students at Hogwarts." She smiled at Hermione knowingly. "One thing I know for sure? Together, you guys would be a force to be reckoned with."

Before Hermione could respond, Malcolm spoke up. "Hey, uh. I don't know much about you guys, personally, but this ball is pretty sweet." Tracey gave him a look and Malcolm steered away from them.

"See?" Draco said to her softly.

Hermione looked up at him and back down to his chest. "I knew how the girls felt. They, uh, asked me about you one night."

"Oh?" He was amused. "And what did you say?"

Her gaze drifted back up and she looked him in the eyes. She couldn't read his expression, but noticed she'd never seen him look this way before. "I told them I respect you."

"I see." He seemed like he was about to say something else, but decided against it. They settled into awkward silence between them.

Hermione wanted to hear what he was going to say, however. "If you have something to say, just say it."

His face was an emotionless mask once again. Refusing to give up, she kept pushing him.

At last, Draco stepped back from Hermione and gave in. "Theo asked how I felt about you as well."

The Weird Sisters finished up the last line of the song in that moment and from the ceiling, a shower of autumn leaves fell down onto the students. Amid the cheering from their peers, Hermione and Draco's eyes were on each other in a tense standoff. This was the finale that Hermione was so anxiously anticipating and she'd missed it.

Draco shoved his hands into his pockets and stalked out of the room. Hermione stood there for a few moments in the chaos with the blank expression that would rival any of her friends'. None of this made any sense and she really just needed to be alone to sort out her thoughts.

Theo, Daphne, Pansy, and Tracey came to her in silence to support her. They hadn't heard the conversation between Draco and Hermione, but they could sense a shift in things.

At that moment, McGonagall and Professor Spalding strolled over to Hermione, arms linked together and smiling. "Well done, Miss Nott. This event was certainly a success," McGonagall said to her.

She was still thinking about Draco's last words to her and only barely understood that she was being addressed. She looked up and feigned flattery. "Thank you, Headmistress. Half the credit goes to Draco, however."

With Professor Spalding at her side, McGonagall seemed almost. . . giddy. "Of course. I'll be sure and compliment Mr. Malfoy." They left the Great Hall together.

xxxxx

It only took a half hour for Hermione and the prefects to clean up after the ball (thank goodness for magic), and she went directly to her dormitory afterwards to wash off her makeup and get into more comfortable clothes. She fell into bed and expected herself to sleep deeply that night. However, her thoughts were running wild about the dance. _What did Draco mean? He talked to Theo?_

He seemed disappointed when she told him that she respected him, for some reason. Almost as though he was expecting something else. But what?

Hermione wasn't completely oblivious to her feelings at this point, of course. Her immediate thought was that Draco had feelings for her, but she dismissed this almost as quickly as it came. Even though they were on good terms now, she couldn't imagine him liking her. He hated her for the last seven years. . . _right_?

She entertained the thought anyway, but couldn't see it. Her and Draco? They had a lot in common, in theory, but were both too bullheaded to be compatible. She imagined telling all her friends and family that she was dating Draco and cringed at the imagined reactions of other people.

One thing she couldn't imagine, however: _she had felt butterflies when they danced together_.

She groaned inwardly and rolled over in bed. This wasn't good.

* * *

Finally moving forward with this part of the plot! Excited for what's to come


	17. Featherfall

I never post my writing because I start out strong and eventually become really conscious of how stupid my ideas sound. I wrote the first half of this chapter and just blanked for a good 2 weeks on where to go next before deciding that I needed to just WRITE SOMETHING. That being said, I think the second half of this chapter is the worst thing I've published so far.

* * *

_Ron and Harry,_

_The autumn ball went really well. Everyone was surprised that we booked the Weird Sisters! Draco was tolerable. Oh, and I think McGonagall likes the new Transfiguration professor. It might just be the reason she made us organize a ball in the first place. Turns out she has a manipulative side as well._

_How's training going? Don't forget to keep me updated._

_Love Hermione_

xxxxx

Surprisingly, Hermione and Draco didn't have much contact over the next couple days. Granted, it was the weekend, but she at least expected to see him in the common room or at meals. He was avoiding her. This was all fine to Hermione, of course. After the ball and his dramatic exit from the Great Hall, she grew worried about becoming distracted from her school work. Without him around, she could go back to studying and pretending nothing odd had happened. Out of sight, out of mind. . . right?

Everyone in her house was giving her a lot of space, which was certainly weird. She really just wanted to pretend as though nothing had happened, but the others were making that impossible. For once, she missed Pansy's yapping.

Hermione's immediate response over the last few days, distanced from her friends and unsure of her place, was to go to her comfort place- the library. Tomorrow she had class, however, and knew she needed answers for all of this before being around Draco.

She went out onto the grounds in search of her brother. The last week's weather had been fairly nice and dry, and plenty of students had spent time outside to take advantage of it, including Theo. She looked around for about 15 minutes and was able to find him in one of the more hidden areas next to the bank of the lake. She walked over and sat down next to him.

Theo was in the middle of Runes revisions by the looks of things, and was so absorbed in his work that he barely noticed Hermione. After translating a few more Runes, he looked up and smiled at her. "Hi."

"Hello," Hermione greeted. She blanked on what to say.

Theo didn't know what to say either. After a few moments, he turned from her and looked out over the lake and the morning mist that seemed to glide over the surface in all directions. In the minutes that they sat there in silence, the occasional ripple or tentacle interrupted the calm, deep blue waters, a reminder of the dangers lying underneath the surface.

"I hope you understand it's not personal," Theo said at last. Hermione looked at him to let him know she was listening. "Everyone leaving you alone, that is. Most of us in Slytherin like to deal with our problems on our own, so it's our way of respecting each other."

She nodded in understanding. "Gryffindor was the exact opposite. Every problem I ever had was everyone's business."

"I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

Looking out at the lake for a few moments, she met his gaze. "He told me that he talked to you about me."

"Yes. Draco talked to me." His face was an emotionless mask, as usual.

She blew out an exasperated sigh and shook her head in frustration. "Sorry," she apologized, "I have to remind myself sometimes that Slytherins are tight lipped. I thought I would get answers here." She moved to stand, but was stopped by Theo's hand on her arm.

"Stay here." She did.

For the next ten minutes or so, they admired the waking grounds of Hogwarts. The mist lightened ever so slightly over the lake and the fog blanket around the castle began lifting. Theo was deep in thought.

At last, "Just. . . understand that since the beginning of his life, he idolized his parents. When he bullied others, his words weren't really his own. That doesn't excuse all that he's done, all that he's called you, but just know that he was very impressionable. Lucius screwed him over."

Her eyebrows scrunched together. "I know all that, Theo. I already forgave him."

He shook his head, still not looking at her. "No, I don't think you have." She was on the verge of interrupting him at that, but he stopped her. "It's okay. You don't need to answer to me."

She huffed. "What do you think I should do?"

His eyes darted over to her. "That's completely up to you. All I'll say is that he is excellent at repressing his emotions with most people," He advised her. Theo chuckled and faced her head on. "Good luck."

"I- I'm not even sure that I like him, though," she stammered.

Theo shook his head and nudged her to stand up. "This is dangerous territory. Don't get me wrong- I love giving you advice, dear sister, but I have to draw the line here. I'm not good at girl-talk." With that, he went back to his Runes work.

xxxxx

Hermione spent the next several hours on her own school work. Although she enjoyed some of her classes, she envied the younger students that didn't have tough school loads. She had just finished her Potions essay and was starting on her Herbology reading when she was interrupted.

Tracey, Daphne, and Pansy walked into the library together, loudly talking together and heading straight for Hermione. When they got to her table, they all pulled up chairs and ceased their conversation.

"Hi, Hermione," Tracey smiled.

Her face scrunched into brief confusion. Last she knew, everyone in Slytherin was giving her space. "Hi. . ." she replied warily.

Daphne, sat across from her at the round table, gave her a concerned look. "How are you doing?"

Her paranoia faded and the corner of her mouth turned up slightly. "I'm fine, why?"

The girls gave each other quick looks, seeming to urge Pansy to say something. Finally, Pansy relented. "I, um. I needed advice and wanted to come to you. Because, well. . . you got Ron and Harry through Hogwarts and I figured you probably give good advice."

Hermione's face split into a huge grin at the situation. She never knew Pansy to be so blunt about her troubles. "Sure thing. What's troubling you?" She became serious so as to encourage her.

Pansy wasn't enthused at Hermione's helpfulness and still needed to be pushed by the other girls to talk. After a few moments, she continued, "I'm, uh, second guessing my choice in career." She stopped until Daphne nodded her on. "I think I'm gonna be. . . unfulfilled as a journalist for _Witch Weekly_. Honestly, I hate writing." She scowled at Tracey and Daphne.

"Well," Hermione started, "what do you like to do?" Her work was completely abandoned by this point.

Pansy sighed and crossed her arms. "I don't know. I guess. . . I like talking to people."

"That's certainly a start, Pansy. What _don't_ you like to do?"

At that, Pansy perked up. "A lot! I don't like school work. I don't like quidditch. . . Oh! I don't like ugly clothes. . . um. . ."

Hermione chuckled. "You've ruled out some careers, I think." She thought about it for a few moments. "Do you like Care of Magical Creatures? I remember you doing well in those classes."

Pansy nodded, but added, "I can't be a teacher, though. Can you imagine? Me. As a teacher."

"You don't have to be a teacher," she told Pansy. "If you like magical creatures, though, that opens up a lot of different careers and would at least be a starting point."

Pansy thought it over and started to talk about liking the unicorn lessons, in particular. They discussed Hagrid's lessons for a few minutes before Hermione realized she had completely forgotten her school work. She was about to voice this to the others, but a flash of platinum blond in the doorway caught her attention.

Draco walked into the library, spotted Hermione, then immediately turned around and left, trying to be as quiet as possible. It was too late, as she had seen him. Tuning out to what the girls were saying, she stood up from the table and left to find him. He had ignored her for long enough.

xx

Once she left the library, Pansy turned to Tracey and Daphne with a scowl. "Why did I have to do that? Daphne would have been much more believable."

Tracey shook her head. "Yes, but it's much funnier to see you ask for advice. Besides, we all know she needs distracting sometimes. She's going to stress herself out beyond breaking point with this Draco thing and her school work."

xx

Hermione got out into the hallway and saw him disappear around one of the corners. She rushed after him, being sure to stay relatively quiet. After a few more corners, Draco speeding up once realizing he was being followed, she cornered him in a dead-end hallway.

Draco, standing about 10 feet away from her, sighed and ignored her look. He seemed to be analysing how to get out of the hallway.

She approached him, willing him to look at her. When he didn't, she spoke. "You're ignoring me." _Way to state the obvious_.

"Perhaps."

_He's admitting to it, sort of. _"We're Head Boy and Girl- we need to have some level of contact between us."

His face didn't give away any of his thoughts. "Do we?" he questioned.

_I'm not getting anywhere here_, she thought to herself. She tried a different approach. "What did you talk to Theo about?" She waited for him to answer, but he pretended as though he couldn't hear her. She gave out a loud sigh. "I need to know why you're doing this."

Draco looked at her now and shook his head. "You should just leave me alone." He walked around her and left the corridor.

Hermione stood there contemplating his words. His words were harsh and she hoped he didn't actually mean it. How were they supposed to leave each other alone when they had to work together?

After a few minutes, Hermione returned to the library and saw that the girls were still there. They seemed to have switched topics completely and were now discussing the latest gossip going around school. Before coming to the table, Hermione caught a few words about the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain and some girl she didn't know, but as usual, she quickly tuned out. She returned to her seat and the girls stopped talking to watch her.

"What was that about?" Tracey inquired.

"Hm?" Hermione looked up and noticed she was being asked a question. "Oh, I just thought I saw something, but it was nothing." She picked up her quill so as to return to her revisions.

The others wouldn't have that, however. Daphne reached her hand towards Hermione's softly and made eye contact with her across the table. "When are you going to start trusting us?" The tone of her voice told Hermione that she really cared.

"I do trust you guys!" Hermione looked to the other girls and saw Daphne's sentiment echoed across everyone. In that moment, she felt bad about how she'd been acting around them. "I'm sorry. . . I saw Draco in the hallway and I wanted to talk to him." Her cheeks darkened slightly.

All gentle gestures halted when Pansy spoke next. "Girl, have you ever heard of playing hard-to-get?"

Hermione's eyebrows drew together at that and they could tell that she hadn't.

Tracey took over. "Don't listen to her, Hermione. If you like Draco, you shouldn't be ashamed. Besides, guys are dumb- you have to be direct with them."

She shrunk back. "Is that what you guys think this is about? I just needed to ask him why he was ignoring me. I don't like him, I don't think."

"Okay," Pansy started, "here's what you need to-"

Daphne gave Pansy a look and interrupted,"-No, Pansy. Hermione needs to do this on her own, I think. We should let her make her own decisions here." After an annoyed Pansy scoffed at her, Daphne looked to Hermione with a gentle look in her eyes. "Let us know if you need to talk to someone." At that, the girls stood up and left, leaving Hermione alone once again.

xxxxx

_Hermione,_

_Wish we could have been there to see the ball. From what Ginny says, it sounds like you and Draco did a really good job. McGonagall likes the Transfiguration professor? I can't imagine McGonagall smitten with anyone- must be weird to see._

_Training is going well. The other day was Unforgivable Curse training, which we weren't looking forward to. We're sore, but okay. Luckily, there's only a week left of this before I take over as head of the department. _

_We hope you're doing well. Talk to you soon!_

_Love, Harry and Ron_

_P.S.- George somehow convinced Molly to see the Mind Healer and her appointment is next Friday. Keep her in your thoughts and maybe send a letter or something to let her know you're thinking of her._

xxxxx

After a few hours of studying, Hermione found her neck stiff and her hands sore. She desperately needed a break and some fresh air. After a quick trip to the dormitory to drop off her bag and find a book, she went off in search of a reading spot.

To her disappointment, she realized that it was pouring rain outside and freezing cold. She settled for the Astronomy Tower instead. Once there, she situated herself on one of the ledges and cast a warming charm around her. The smell of rain and its soothing sound seemed to wash her stress away.

The rain was constant, but her reading was not. For some reason, she just couldn't focus and she couldn't help but look away from the page. Hermione looked down onto the grounds.

From so far up, the wet grass took on a vibrant color, emphasizing the expansive lawn. The Great Lake was only barely visible from her side of the castle. Trying to focus in, she imagined the ripples from the rain on the beautifully bleak surface of the lake. She turned back to her book, but was only able to read for a few minutes before her concentration was broken again.

She looked back towards the grounds. Movement below her caught her attention and she leaned as far as she could to see what it was. Hermione squinted to make the figure out, but it didn't take long. His platinum blond hair didn't dull even in these rainy conditions. He moved out onto the lawn and toward the Quidditch pitch. Before long, he was out of her sight.

Hermione wished he wouldn't ignore her. She never anticipated he would completely change after the ball. In some ways, she missed their banter. Was that the only thing she missed?

_I wonder what he looks like when he's flying alone_, she couldn't help but think. Her heart was tugging her to follow him to the pitch and that realization startled her.

Perhaps she misunderstood her feelings from this last month. Needing to know, she set off for the Quidditch pitch before she could reason with herself.

She hurried down the castle stairs with her head down, hoping her friends were somewhere else. Once she got outside, she realized he would see her from his broom. Logic caught up with her in that moment and she thought about turning back. Was sneaking toward the Quidditch pitch to watch Draco considered 'creepy'?

Standing next to the doors and looking out towards the pitch, Draco's form on his broom was only a blurry speck in the rain. Logic was stifled and her indecision, ignored. Moving slowly, she walked along the perimeter of the castle to avoid being seen. A few times, she thought about the absurdity of what she was doing, but just focused on the Quidditch pitch to keep her going.

After a couple minutes, she reached the corner of the castle closest to the pitch, but she was still quite far away. All that stood between her and a clearer view of Draco was a large expanse of lawn, on which she would be clearly seen. She wished she had Harry's cloak.

Hermione quickly cast a disillusionment charm on herself and set out across the lawn at a slow pace. She kept a close watch on Draco all the while, but never saw him slow down or give any indication of spotting her.

Several minutes later, she reached the edge of the pitch and scanned the area for somewhere to go. Ending up next to one of the Quidditch seating towers, she sat down on the grass to watch Draco.

The rain stopped pouring, allowing her a slightly clearer view. He seemed to just be doing laps and practicing dive moves for a while. Because of Hermione's low spot next to the pitch, and Draco's broom speed, she wasn't able to see much. She could tell he acted differently when flying alone, as he did a few stylistic loops and tricks every now and then. She smiled to herself, imagining Harry here with her. He'd probably scoff at Draco's unnecessary stunts.

Bored, Hermione started picking grass and tearing the blades length-wise. She would wait until Draco left before going back to the castle.

A noise from Draco drew her gaze back up. He was on the far side of the pitch and falling toward the ground rapidly. Hermione yelped and tried to search for her wand in the grass to save him, but it was too late. He was on the ground, only a crumpled heap in the distance. She ran toward him without care for remaining hidden.

Once there, she nudged his shoulder. He was only a crumpled heap on the ground, but was unresponsive to her touch.

"Draco? Draco! Wake up! Come on," she begged, emotion barely held back. After a huff, she tried to find his wand on him to send sparks toward the Hospital Wing.

She rolled him over and noticed his wand was firmly held in his right hand. Understanding set in and she looked at his face. Draco's eyes were open and he was silently laughing. Once she took notice of him, his laughter burst out of him.

"I. . . what? You're okay?"

Draco got his laughter under control and stood up. "Yeah, I'm okay. I saw you watching me and I cast the Featherfall charm to mess with you." He walked off to grab his broom, which had fallen during his descent. "I had no idea you liked me. Hm."

She perked up at that. "What? I don't like you." _Where did he get that idea?_

He looked at her doubtfully over his shoulder. "You don't like me?" He scoffed in disbelief. "'_Oh Draco! Please wake up! I can't live without you!_'," he said mimicking her voice.

"I _do not_ sound like that," she responded with a slight smile.

Draco grabbed his broom and turned to walk toward her. "Do too. I thought you'd start crying over me or something." He was grinning in a very uncharacteristic way, but it was pleasant. Hermione never saw Draco all-out grin in such a way, but it was so natural-looking that she didn't question it. Hermione laughed with him.

Their laughter slowly died out and Hermione grew conscious of how far away she seemed and the coldness around them. It was quiet. "I mean, even if I did like you, and I'm not saying I do or anything, it wouldn't go anywhere, would it?" she asked rhetorically. "There's no way someone like you would like me back, right?" She was nervous-rambling again.

Draco's face fell into its emotionless mask, but the spark in his eyes revealed something else entirely. "I don't know." They were quiet once again. He was on the verge of saying something when they were interrupted.

"HEY, HERMIONE! THERE YOU ARE!" Pansy screeched from the field between the castle and the pitch.

"SHHH," Tracey scolded Pansy.

Draco coughed lightly and they backed away from each other awkwardly. Tracey, Daphne, and Pansy stood at the edge of the pitch, trying to be quiet to give them a moment, but it was too late. The moment had passed.

"See you later," Hermione said quietly to Draco. She walked off to join the girls.

The others welcomed Hermione warmly. "Alright, Hermione?" Daphne asked with her expression full of double-meaning.

"Yeah," she answered, trying not to look back at Draco. "I'm alright."


	18. Determined

A part of the Harry Potter books that I think a lot of fics miss is the class scenes. In the books, we are constantly seeing the trio's classes and what they're learning and that's what I'm trying to capture here, a little bit. It's difficult because Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't attend their seventh year at Hogwarts so we don't know what they studied, but I guess that just means I get to be creative. Hope you enjoy my lil Herbology lesson this chapter.

* * *

The next morning, a definite change had taken hold of Draco Malfoy.

During breakfast and their classes, Draco was very clearly ignoring Theo. Usually, the boys were inseparable, but they hadn't even looked at each other once that morning. Hermione took notice, as did everyone else, but she knew better than to ask them about it. The other Slytherins hated her blunt questions.

Draco was also talking to her once again, which she was glad for. She missed that little bit of contact between them (even if she didn't like admitting so). Hermione expected things to be tense after their conversation yesterday, but he was acting as though nothing happened. She didn't know how to feel about that.

On one hand, Hermione felt glad that they could so easily talk once again. Conversation was awfully difficult after awkward situations, so this was better than nothing. . . right? Perhaps he didn't understand what she had been trying to tell him on the Quidditch pitch. Daphne said it herself: 'guys are dumb- you have to be direct with them'. This would give her time to really evaluate the way she was feeling. Maybe her actions from yesterday weren't as thought-out as they should have been.

But, in her heart, she knew this wasn't true. Deep down, she was hurt that he was pretending nothing happened. However indirectly, she bared her feelings to him and he was acting as though it wasn't a big deal. Was this his form of rejection?

One thing was for sure: she wasn't going to block out the Slytherin girls this time around. No. They were her friends and at the very least, she owed them her trust.

Between classes that afternoon, Hermione went down to the dungeons to look for the girls. This Draco-thing was really weighing on her mind and she needed to vent or get advice from _somebody_. She entered the dormitory and saw Daphne ruffling through her trunk. Hermione closed the door just as Daphne drew a book out of her storage.

She turned at the noise and smiled at Hermione. "Hey!" Hermione's face must have revealed something to the sensitive girl because the smile fell from her face. "What's the matter?"

Hermione sat down on Pansy's bed and let out a deep sigh. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Daphne nodded and sat down on her own bed so that she was facing Hermione. "What's up?"

Hermione smiled at how easily Daphne took on the role of supportive friend. "You know yesterday on the Quidditch pitch? Um, I told Draco that I liked him I think. I said it in a really indirect way, but I'm really confused now. I mean, he's acting like things are normal between us."

Daphne's face split into a wide, close-mouthed smile. "I'm so glad that this thing between you and Draco is going somewhere, Hermione. I'm really happy for you. How exactly did you tell him, though?" she said.

Hermione thought about it for a few moments to try and remember exactly what she said. "Well. . . he was sort of teasing me about having a crush on him. I said something like, 'even if I did like you, it wouldn't go anywhere. There's no way someone like you would have a crush on me'."

Daphne's smile fell at Hermione's words. "I told you to be direct!" She playfully nudged Hermione's shoulder.

"Well, what would you have done?"

Daphne straightened up. "I would have said: 'You know what Draco? I do like you. I think you're incredibly sexy, smart, caring, and exactly what I'm looking for in a man.' Then he would have probably would have said: 'Oh, Hermione! I feel the same way! You're the most gorgeous and brilliant witch I have ever met. Please, do me the honor of being my girlfriend'."

Hermione scoffed, muttering words of disbelief. "Yes, Daphne, that sounds like a perfectly plausible situation you've come up with," she replied sarcastically.

Daphne smiled. "Okay. . . maybe things would happen slightly differently, but my point still stands. If there's any doubt in your mind that Draco didn't understand what you were trying to say, _you need to try again_."

Things were quiet for a few moments as Hermione allowed those words to settle in. "What if he did understand what I was trying to say? What if he's rejecting me by pretending nothing happened?"

"Well, I- actually, no. You know what, Hermione? You're using a lot of 'what if's' right now, but I think you deserve certainty. I think you deserve to know exactly what's going on. If you march up to Draco and tell him exactly what's on your mind and he rejects you, at least you'll know for certain how he feels and you can move on."

She was fired up. _Yeah!_ Hermione thought to herself, _I do deserve to know how he feels about me! Who cares about Slytherin subtlety? Besides, I'm strong enough to handle Draco's rejection. I've certainly been through worse._

"Thank you, Daphne. I know what I need to do."

xxxxx

Hermione went to her next class of the day, Herbology, and found her normal sitting place. She was wracked with anticipation for Draco's arrival and didn't know what she was going to do. She knew she couldn't just approach the subject casually.

_Hey, Draco. Remember that little conversation on the Quidditch pitch? Well, truth be told, I actually do have a crush on you, _she said in her mind, fully aware that she would never be so direct with her words.

She looked around the small greenhouse and at her fellow students. This was one of her smaller classes, as many seventh years didn't need to take Herbology for their NEWTs. Still though, she couldn't talk to him about this while around other students. Hermione needed to get him alone.

Draco was one of the last to arrive before class started and only barely unpacked his things before Professor Sprout started the lesson.

"Everybody here?" she asked the class. When nobody responded, she proceeded, "Perfect. We discussed last class the muggle plant English Yew which, as we know, is most often used for wands or medicinal purposes. Today, however, I would like to focus on a plant that is also in the Taxus genus: _Amentotaxus lumineterras_, otherwise known as the Light Yew."

Professor Sprout turned around and approached the door in the back of the greenhouse. Unlocking it nonverbally, she went inside and came out a few seconds later with a black cloth on top of a terracotta pot that she held in her hands cautiously. As she came closer to the class, Hermione saw that the plant she left to retrieve seemed to be under the cloth, as it was moving slightly. Sprout set the pot and its covering on the table.

"Does anyone know anything about the Light Yew?" she asked the silent class.

Hermione raised her hand slowly and the students turned to look at her. "It has healing properties, I believe. I think I remember reading that it can shrink the size of tumors caused by magical diseases and ailments."

Sprout nodded enthusiastically. "As usual, correct, Miss Nott! Ten points to Slytherin." When she raised her voice, the cloth shivered slightly more so than before and everyone in the class noticed. "The healing part of this plant that can be harvested is the flowers, however obtaining them are quite difficult. Not only is the Light Yew sentient, but it also rapidly grows when exposed to light, which we will be observing today."

Everyone in the class took a step back from the table.

Sprout gave a little laugh. "I think it's important that everyone is aware of how quickly this plant grows, but I'll need your help. I have a larger cloth to cover it and I'll need two students to stand by, ready to cover the Yew back up. We will uncover the plant, everyone will get a good look, and quickly cover it back up when I give the signal."

The door to the greenhouse opened and Jack Sloper, a fifth year Gryffindor student, entered the room, heading for Professor Sprout. They had a muttered conversation and she nodded to Draco. Jack retrieved Draco wordlessly and they went for the door.

"Come see me before lunch, Mr. Malfoy. I'll let you know what you missed," Sprout told him.

Draco nodded in understanding and left with Jack.

_Probably some Head Boy duty to tend to_, Hermione thought to herself, even though they were rarely taken from their classes in the middle of the day.

The class at this point was excited to see the plant underneath the cloth that required this cautiousness. Sprout left the room once again and came back with a square cloth, approximately 2 yards by 2 yards. Two Hufflepuff students volunteered to hold the dark cloth and Sprout directed them to stand on either side of the table with the cloth stretched out over the pot. The students around the room crept closer, ready to get a look at the plant.

"Now I must warn you," Sprout directed to the Hufflepuff volunteers, "this sample is particularly feisty and may fight back when you try to cover it back up. They do not like being in the dark."

"Wait, what?" one of them asked, panicked.

"Ready?" Sprout asked. She grabbed the corner of the plant's covering. "One. Two. Three!" On three, she yanked the cloth covering the plant.

The small plant looked rather cute when Hermione first saw it. The Light Yew was, appropriately, a lighter shade of green and made up of evergreen needles. One second passed by and the terracotta pot shattered under the plant, which was rocking back and forth while swelling up. After three seconds of being uncovered, the round shrub had grown to four-times the size of before. Hermione probably couldn't put her arms around it if she tried.

"Cover it!" Sprout yelled.

The Hufflepuff students pulled the cloth down on top of the struggling plant. The Light Yew jerked back and forth to try and get out of the cloth covering. After a few moments of fighting the plant, the students successfully cloaked the Yew on all sides. Quite suddenly, the cloth stilled.

"Everyone okay?" Sprout asked the class. They nodded, as they were used to intense and unusual plants in Herbology. "It's usually best to buy the flowers already harvested, rather than deal with the Light Yew. Professionals are able to harvest the flowers in a controlled environment."

xxxxx

Draco didn't show up for their next class, which was rather odd. Both Hermione and Draco valued class attendance quite highly. If this was in fact a Head Boy concern, why wasn't she informed about what was going on?

Dinner came and she sat with the other Slytherin girls, as usual. The way Daphne, Tracey, and Pansy were looking at each other struck Hermione as odd until she remembered her heart-to-heart with Daphne earlier that day. She must have told the others about Hermione's confession to liking Draco.

"Um, can you stop looking at me?" Hermione asked them politely. She was fine with Daphne telling them about their conversation. She would have told them anyways.

They looked away quickly and focused on their food. Tracey brought up Winter Break plans to start a conversation in the awkward silence that followed.

Pansy scooted forward. "My grandparents are taking me to Berlin over break. The Magical Light Parade is amazing." Daphne nodded in agreement.

"My dad took me to Berlin a few years ago. 'Amazing' is an understatement," Daphne told them. "I don't know where my family is going yet. My parents said it was a surprise."

Hermione looked to Tracey and she spoke. "I'll probably stick to the British Isles," Tracey said quietly. From listening in on their conversations, Hermione knew Tracey was a half-blood. Her father, a wizard, went to Azkaban after the war, so all she had was her muggle mother.

Daphne looked at Hermione in the awkward silence, as if to plead her to say something to break the tension. She did. "I'm not sure what my winter break will look like. I suppose I'll be splitting my time between Nott Manor and Grimmauld Place. I'll have to ask Theo what he plans to do."

Pansy picked up on things and tried to continue this line of thought. "For the longest time, the Nott family had a Winter Ball for Sacred Twenty-Eight families, but I know Theo won't continue the tradition. He hated those events."

"Yeah, he told me about that," Hermione replied. "Maybe we can do some type of event at Nott Manor, though. Just our group, you know?"

"That sounds fun," Tracey added. "We could open presents from each other."

They agreed that they would arrange for these plans once Daphne and Pansy knew when they'd be coming back from their vacations. Theo showed up once they changed the subject and he agreed that their idea was good. Hermione was starting to get hungry while waiting for dinner and she looked up to see if she could find Headmistress McGonagall. They couldn't eat until she made her announcements.

After a few more minutes passed, Hermione participating in the girls' conversation every now and then, she spotted McGonagall entering the hall, coming directly toward her rather than the staff table.

Once the older woman reached Hermione, she bent to speak closer to her ear. "Miss Nott, I thought you should know that Mr. Malfoy is in the Hospital Wing. I've informed Madam Pomfrey of your impending arrival." With that, she straightened up and went to the front table.

_Hospital Wing? _she thought to herself, _Where did he go after Herbology? _

Hermione stood up, muttered something to the others, and left for the Hospital Wing. She was in shock that something happened to him, but it did explain his absence during their classes the rest of the day. He never missed classes if he could help it.

xxxxx

She rushed up to the Hospital Wing, but suddenly realized what she was doing and slowed down to a walk when she came around the corner into the room. All but four of the beds were empty. Three students sat up in their beds eating dinner, a contrast to the bed at the end of the room with the curtains pulled closed. She approached the curtain and pulled it back.

Madam Pomfrey stood over an unconscious Draco with her wand extended, muttering spells under her breath. She looked up when Hermione entered and ushered her closer.

Hermione came up to the side of the bed and tried to see what landed Draco in the Hospital Wing, but couldn't see anything physically wrong with him; he looked exactly as he had during Herbology. His eyes were closed and he looked . . . peaceful. Quite peaceful.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, aware that she sounded very loud in the quiet wing.

Pomfrey put her wand at her side. "He was attacked. It's worse than before, too. He can't wake up." Then she grabbed his shoulders gently and shifted him forward. Hermione imagined this would be difficult, seeing as he was unconscious, but Pomfrey was surprisingly strong for such a small, old woman. "Come look at his neck."

Hermione obeyed and came to the top of the bed to look at Draco's neck. When she did, she couldn't help but let out a surprised noise. From his hairline to below his collar were dozens of red scratch marks ranging in size and severity. This was definitely the same curse used on Milford.

Pomfrey was watching Hermione's face. "Yes, I had the same reaction. It seems the Slytherins are being targeted by someone."

_Who could be doing this? _

Hermione took a step back and Pomfrey guided Draco's back onto the mattress again. "Do the professors have any idea what this curse is?" she asked Madam Pomfrey.

"No," she answered. "All we know is that Draco won't be the last to be affected by this. These attacks are intentional."

Hermione had to think rationally, but her thoughts kept being clouded over by her emotions. After Daphne's advice fired her up, she was going to tell Draco that she liked him today. Just seeing him lying there, no clue as to the cause, was affecting her strangely.

The professors surely combed through the spell books to find the curse the first time, so Hermione knew she shouldn't waste her time doing the same thing. Research was her strong point, so this was a difficult decision to make.

Otherwise, she thought about getting a list of all the students and crossing off names as she narrowed suspects down, but this would surely take months. There must be an easier way to find whoever is doing this.

"How was Milford healed?" she asked.

Pomfrey looked up. "I used a combination of fluxweed, aconite, nettle root, and murtlap essence, topically applied twice a day for four days. Although he was only admitted today, the same mixture doesn't seem to have an affect on Mr. Malfoy."

Hermione gave out an overwhelmed sigh. Everything she could think to do to help Draco, was already done by others. "What can I do to help?"

Madam Pomfrey turned to completely face Hermione. In a low tone, she said, "Find whoever did this. After six years of your investigations at this school with those boys, I expect you'll have a better chance of solving this than any professor would."

Hermione nodded, suddenly determined. "I'll find them."


	19. Incompetent

I really don't thank my beta enough for helping me. NinjaDevil2000? You're the best.

* * *

Hermione entered the common room that night and was surprised to see that her friends weren't waiting for her. This didn't last long. She opened the door to her dormitory and saw Daphne, Pansy, Tracey, and Theo gathered in the center of the room. They raised their heads when they saw her enter.

Theo rushed over. "What's going on?"

Hermione came in and sat down on the end of her bed. "Draco is in the Hospital Wing. He was attacked with the same curse that hit Milford."

Pansy and Daphne gasped, while Theo and Tracey started to get fired up, muttering vulgar phrases and criticizing Gryffindor house.

Hermione interrupted their rant. "I know you probably want to hurt the Gryffindors now, but I don't think that's going to accomplish anything here."

Theo was still fuming. "We are not going to stand idly by while you play nice with the Gryffindors, Hermione. This is their second attack on us. Are we just supposed to ask them nicely to stop doing this? Invite them to lunch as though this is all some big misunderstanding?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "No, but we could be a little more strategic here. We need to find out who in particular is targeting Slytherin."

Theo was about to say something in return when Daphne stepped forward and interrupted. "Listen to her, Theo. She's right. Plan before striking, or else we're no better than them. Let's have tact on our side." Everyone's eyes were on Daphne and she turned red. She stepped back to where she was before.

Theo was digesting her words in silence.

"We'll find whoever is responsible, Theo. I can promise you that," Hermione assured him.

After a few moments, Theo nodded slowly in agreement. "Do we have any leads?" he asked.

"Yes, actually," Hermione said enthusiastically, glad that Theo was already thinking about what they needed to do next, "The last time I saw him, he was being taken out of Herbology class by a fifth year Gryffindor."

The others shared a look that didn't go unnoticed by Hermione. She was trying to deny Gryffindor's involvement in these attacks, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

"Do you know who he was?" Tracey asked her.

Hermione nodded. "His name is Jack Sloper. He always sticks to his little group of friends, so I don't know much about him. Fifth year when Fred and George left, he was one of the new beaters."

Pansy spoke for the first time, "Do you think he could've done it?"

She shrugged. "I don't know enough about him to say. It's possible."

They spent the next half hour clustered in the girls dormitory with Hermione telling them everything she knew about the situation, from the marks on Draco's neck to the dynamics of Gryffindor house. She gave them some general names of Gryffindors she didn't know much about and the other Slytherins gave her their perspectives. Tired, she somehow convinced them that they would take action the next day and that they planned all that they could.

Theo went to leave the room and Hermione stopped him.

"How did you get in here?" she asked

Theo looked confused. "What do you mean? I walked in."

"What about the enchantments?" she responded.

"What enchantments?"

Hermione was surprised he didn't know about this. "In Gryffindor tower, boys can't enter the girls dorms because of enchantments cast on the hallway entrance."

He shrugged in response, but still gave it some thought. "We have a lot of pureblood traditions in Slytherin house. We're more trustworthy because of that, I guess." He patted her shoulder and left to go to the boy's dorms.

Xxxxx

_Harry and Ron,_

_Well, this school year was close to being normal. Very close. Draco was attacked yesterday and the Slytherins and I are now looking into who could be responsible. With the investigating to come, I know I'll be missing you two a lot and our old adventures. Don't worry about me- I got this._

_I know that yesterday was a big day for you two! I want to hear all about the End of Training party and Harry's induction. Please remember to take pictures._

_Love and miss you both,_

_Hermione_

Xxxxx

The next morning, Hermione was woken up by Tracey and told to dress quickly. Even though it was the weekend, they had a lot to do and it started with finding Jack, their primary suspect.

Tracey and Hermione met the rest of the group in the common room after she was ready. Confirming that they were good to go, they headed upstairs to the Great Hall. Hermione told them what Jack looked like and they entered the room, staying by the doors. After a quick scan of Gryffindor table, they convened in the hallway.

"He's not here," Pansy said.

"Yes, Pansy, we know that," Hermione replied with a sigh. "The only other place I can think to look is Gryffindor tower. He's probably not awake yet."

The others nodded at that and they began to discuss how they'd go about their next move. Hermione was no longer a Gryffindor and, Head Girl or not, she couldn't just walk into the common room. Time was important here, but they decided they had to wait it out. With the decision made, they began the trek to Gryffindor tower.

Three floors up, Daphne nudged Hermione and nodded her head in the direction of a group of students that were heading to breakfast. "Is that him?" she asked.

Hermione looked from face to face when a flash of ashy brown hair caught her attention amidst the group. "Yeah! Good job, Daphne."

They told the others that Jack had been spotted.

"What now?"

"I don't know. Should we all approach him?"

"No. That'll scare him off."

"Well, we have to do something."

"Shh! They're getting closer."

Jack and his group of friends descended the staircase and neared the group of Slytherins. A few people in his group gave them negative looks, but Jack was chattering on to his friends.

Thinking quickly, Hermione hurried forward so that she was standing on the stairs below the Gryffindor group. She got the attention of the group and Jack stopped talking.

"Is one of you Jack Sloper? Um, the Headmistress has just received tragic news about his. . . grandfather."

Jack pushed through his group with panic on his face. "Grandpa Jack or Grandpa John?"

"Erm, Grandpa John. . . I think you should come with me."

Jack nodded without a word to his group and descended the staircase with Hermione. The other Slytherins followed behind, keeping a good distance. Once they got to the ground floor, Hermione started walking toward the room she was taken into before the sorting. The Slytherins pretended to hang out near the doors to the Great Hall.

"The Headmistress wanted to meet us in here," she told him.

Jack looked at her with disbelief written on his face. "She didn't want us to go to her office?"

Hermione feigned confidence. "No. I thought it was really weird she wanted us to meet here, but I didn't question it. She _is _the Headmistress, after all."

He nodded and went into the room, satisfied with her response. Once he sat down, the rest of the Slytherins came into the room and locked the door with a spell.

"HEY!" Jack shouted. "What's going on here?"

"Sorry," Hermione said. "There's nothing wrong with your Uncle John, but I didn't think you'd come with me if I didn't think of something creative."

"_Grandpa_ John," Jack corrected sourly.

Her brother beamed at her. "That was brilliant," Theo commended.

"Yeah, Hermione. Way to make Slytherin proud," Daphne added.

Jack wasn't going to sit there in the room with them while they did this. He stood to leave. "Okay, this has been really great," he said sarcastically, "but I need to get some breakfast before quidditch practice. We've got a big game tomorrow. It's against, well. . . you guys."

Theo blocked the door with his body. "Sit down," he instructed.

Jack swallowed and did as Theo told him.

They really needed to get to the point before his friends got suspicious. "We need to know who is behind the attacks on Slytherin." Hermione assumed a relaxed position on a table in the room. If Jack was comfortable and didn't feel threatened, he might reveal more.

Jack's expression changed into something unreadable. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Tracey stepped forward and decided to take a shot. "Hey, idiot, the smartest thing for you to do right now would be to give us some information. I've seen what Hermione can do with her wand."

Jack smirked and he looked at Hermione. "Man. . . I wonder what McGonagall will say when she finds out that the Head Girl and her cronies are threatening younger students."

Hermione was done playing nice. She hopped off the table and came close to Jack. "I wonder what McGonagall will say when she finds out that Jack Sloper and the other Gryffindor beater use _Felix Felicis _before every quidditch game."

Hermione heard a gasp and a laugh behind her. The other Slytherins were surprised at this sudden turn in Hermione and the ease at which she interrogated Jack.

"How did you know about that?"

She smirked at him in return. "I saw you try out. There's no way you've become _that _good after only a year."

Jack relented. "I didn't attack Malfoy. I was just told to bring him to the mirror on the fourth floor and leave. That's all I did."

She cocked her head to the side slightly. "Start from the beginning."

"Beginning? Okay, but it's not much of a story." He turned his face up to look directly into her eyes. "I came back to my room and there was a note on my bed telling me what to do. The next day, I did what it told me to. The note was unsigned."

Pansy laughed. "You just did what the note told you to?" she screeched.

At that, Jack's face reddened. "There was. . . something else in the note. Um, an embarrassing photo of me. It said that if I didn't get Malfoy to the fourth floor, that they would post it all across the school." His head fell down in shame.

Hermione threw up her hands and turned to Theo. It seemed this was a dead end. Theo, however, saw the situation differently.

"Do you still have the note?" he asked.

"No," Jack replied, "I was told to burn it."

Hermione motioned everyone toward the door so that they could discuss this new situation. They gathered into a close circle to whisper.

"What now?" Daphne asked openly.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. It's definitely not him, though." With all the arrangements that had to be made for the attacks, it was clear the person behind it was intelligent.

"I agree," Pansy said.

Tracey was giving it some serious thought. "All we really have left to guide us is the site of the attacks."

Hermione nodded slowly as she thought about it. "Good idea, Tracey." _Wow_, she thought to herself, _My group dynamic has really changed_. With Harry and Ron, she was the one coming up with good ideas.

Hermione turned back toward Jack, who was trying to listen in on their conversation but failing. He straightened up.

"You can go." She turned around. "Theo, unlock the door."

As soon as the door was open, Jack ran out of the room without a backward glance.

Her group of friends turned to look at her and she gestured toward the door in response. "Fourth floor?"

Xxxxx

They reached the mirror on the fourth floor and after several minutes of looking around, couldn't find anything that stood out.

Theo made a comment about how this was an odd place to attack Draco, and Hermione realized they didn't know about the secret tunnel here.

"There's a tunnel out of Hogwarts behind the mirror," she explained. "I've never taken it because it has been caved in for several years."

Theo gave her an odd look. "A tunnel?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah. There's several."

"I guess that makes sense that there'd be many of them," Theo thought aloud. "I think we only know of one or two."

"Do you know how to open the entrance?" Daphne asked Hermione.

Hermione shook her head. "Usually there's a spot to press."

The group of them starting touching the bricks surrounding the mirror. Only Theo could reach the bricks along the top of the mirror, but it was futile anyways. Then, they tried pressing areas of the mirror, but the entrance still didn't reveal itself.

"Maybe it won't open up now because it's caved in?" Theo questioned.

"No, it should open," Hermione responded. A thought crossed her mind and she laughed. _It will be funny if this works_.

She took her wand out. "_Revelio_," Hermione muttered, waving her wand across the mirror. The mirror shimmered and fell away from top to bottom, the shards disappearing soundlessly.

Once the mirror was 'gone', they could see an open corridor that ended 1 yard in. An uneven wall of dirt towered over them and reached the ceiling.

The others gave her an impressive look and she shrugged. Simplicity was often enough.

She walked into the small corridor and cast _Lumos_ to examine for clues. After only a few moments, she spotted a piece of parchment pinned above the door. She told Theo and he grabbed it.

They crowded around Theo to read the parchment. The handwriting was quite difficult to read and appeared as though hastily written.

_Pansy Parkinson- Meet me in the Owlery tomorrow at midnight. Be alone._

Everyone turned to look at Pansy, who just shrugged in response. The targeted note surprised her, too. It was quickly settled that they wouldn't be sending Pansy off alone.

"I could handle it," Pansy said confidently. "Especially since I have enough time to be prepared."

Theo shook his head and put his hand on her shoulder protectively. "No way. This has to be a set up, Pansy."

"I agree," Tracey chimed in, "You'll just end up in the hospital wing with Draco."

Daphne looked around the empty hallway and cleared her throat to get the attention of the others. "Um, guys?" They looked to her. "Maybe we should move this conversation down to the dungeons."

Everyone suddenly realized their location and agreed with Daphne. They reclosed the collapsed tunnel before heading downstairs to the girls' dormitory.

Xxxxx

Once there, they settled around the room and took turns examining the note for additional clues. They didn't find any.

"Okay, so we're decided?" Hermione asked them. "Pansy's not going alone?"

They nodded their agreement, Pansy more hesitant than her friends.

Tracey sighed. "If she doesn't go alone, what do you think he'll do?"

"He?" Daphne questioned. Tracey shrugged.

Theo looked up from the bed he was on. "Maybe he just won't show up if she's not alone. I mean, he can handle one of us, but he'd probably be intimidated by our group."

Hermione gave this some thought and agreed with him. "He might just attack anyways, though. If he's targeting Slytherins, the easiest thing to do would be to round them up in groups before attacking."

This was a smart point that the others hadn't properly considered yet and only served to complicate the situation more.

"So. . ." Pansy started, "what do you guys want me to do?"

After a few more minutes of debate and more good points being brought up, they decided to take a vote. The results convinced the group that Pansy should definitely not go alone to the Owlery.

With the first problem solved, they could move forward toward solving the bigger issue: how could the group hide without being seen?

"I don't think the Owlery is big enough for all of us," Daphne told them. "How could we all hide in such a small room?" Nobody had an answer for her.

"Is anyone here secretly an owl animagus?" Tracey jokingly asked. Theo was the only one that laughed and he stopped once realizing no one else thought it was funny.

"We wouldn't have this problem if you'd just allow me to do it myself," Pansy said in a sing-song voice. Everyone ignored this, of course. No way would they allow Pansy to hospitalize herself.

"Pansy," Hermione said softly, "Draco's attack was worse than Milford's. Who knows how badly you'd be hit if you went alone?" The others echoed similar sentiments while Pansy just scoffed and shook her head.

"That confidence is going to get you in trouble someday," Theo advised Pansy.

Ignoring Theo, Pansy spoke up again, "We won't all fit in the Owlery and you guys won't let me go alone."

After a few moments of silence, Daphne raised her hand to get their attention. "What if we just leave a note in the Owlery and don't go? I don't think any plan is going to work."

Hermione smiled softly at Daphne's idea. She was clearly trying to avoid more friends getting hurt by avoiding confrontation. "Oh Daphne. . ."

"What?" she asked the group defensively. "I know it's not the Slytherin way, but it could work. I bet this person is expecting us to come up with some elaborate plan."

Theo placed his hand protectively on the girl's shoulder. "That might come off as cowardly, Daph. If this is a Gryffindor like we think, we need to fight back." Daphne shook her head and was about to defend her plan again, but was interrupted.

"-Hold on. What if you all waited outside of the Owlery and attacked him when he left?" Pansy offered.

They were quiet.

Tracey's eyebrows came together in thought. "Are you suggesting you sacrifice yourself here?"

Pansy shrugged. "Why not? If it helps catch him, it'll be worth it."

Hermione was confused at this point. "What happened to 'self-preservation'?"

Pansy's face reddened and she looked to the ground. "It was just an idea," she mumbled.

However, Hermione wouldn't forget this idea anytime soon. Being a Slytherin, she didn't think Pansy would ever come up with such a selfless idea. Her perceptions of her new house continued to evolve.

_What would Harry and Ron do in this situation_, she thought to herself. They solved countless mysteries at Hogwarts since they were 11 years old. Surely this would be a good starting point.

After some reflection, she realized they had always relied on the Marauder's map and invisibility cloak for nearly everything when Harry and Ron were with her. Many of their mysteries wouldn't have been solved had it not been for Harry's resources.

She knew if she sent Harry a letter, he would lend her the map and cloak without a moment's hesitation. The question was whether or not it would arrive in time.

"I think I have a solution," Hermione told them.

". . . Well?" Tracey asked. The others gave her quick looks of irritation at her interruption.

"What if I told you I might be able to have access to a map that shows me where everyone in Hogwarts is?"

They were quiet for a few brief moments before Pansy scoffed. "How could that help us?"

Hermione must not have explained clearly enough. "Well, we would be able to see who was in the Owlery with you."

At that, they were impressed and wanted to know more about this map. Hermione quieted their questions. "I also know where to get an invisibility cloak. An authentic one."

Tracey laughed. "How much do we actually know about you, Hermione?"

She smiled. "I'm not bragging or anything; I just know that if we can get an invisibility cloak and the map before tomorrow night, we will have no problem coming up with a plan."

The others agreed easily. "So how do you see this going down?" Theo asked.

After six years at Hogwarts with Harry and Ron, Hermione was glad to be back to this part. She loved coming up with plans. "One of us goes with Pansy to the Owlery and hides under the cloak while the rest of us stay nearby with the map. Once we see who comes in the room with her, we can go attack."

"And the person under the cloak is there. . . as backup?" Daphne supplied.

Hermione nodded. "If the person attacks quickly and tries to leave, I can be under the cloak and immobilize the attacker."

The girls tried to interject, but failed. Theo's face was unreadable, but his words gave away his thoughts.

"You're not going to be under the cloak."

Hermione laughed lightly- a stark contrast to the tense feeling in the room. "Yes, Theo. I will be."

Theo gave her a look that silenced everyone in the room and made them quite uncomfortable.

"Um. . . perhaps we should go?" Daphne whispered to Pansy and Tracey. They nodded and left the room to leave Theo and Hermione alone.

If there was to be an argument, Hermione knew she would win quickly and that the girls' exit was pointless. She rarely backed down.

Once they were alone, Theo moved across the room to stand closer to Hermione. "I just learned I had a little sister; I'm not going to let you walk into harm's way if I can help it."

"I've been through plenty, Theo. I know what I'm doing," she snapped.

He took a small step back. "I just want to keep you safe."

This was irritating her more than she was letting on. With Harry and Ron at Hogwarts, they knew her capabilities and admired her for them. Whenever something came up, she was always right in the middle of it. Those two knew better than to say 'no' to Hermione.

Hermione tried to mirror Theo's serious expression, but felt weird about it. Instead, she opted to look as confident as possible to possibly invoke fear in her brother. "Don't underestimate me."

Theo sighed. "I'm _not_ underestimating you. You're a Nott- I know you can take care of yourself."

Hermione shook her head and stood up. Theo standing over her made her feel as though he thought he was stronger than her. "My last name doesn't have any part in this." She started to pace a few feet away from Theo, who was in silent for several moments.

"Hermione-"

"-You know what, Theo? Thank you so much for coming into my life." This turn in Hermione frightened Theo into sitting. "Had it not been for you, I wouldn't know I was a Nott! I would hate to live the rest of my life as the incompetant _Granger girl_." She stopped pacing and crossed her arms over her chest, looking at Theo expectantly.

If Theo wasn't so prideful, he'd be cowering. "I'm sorry."

Hermione stood there for a few more moments to see if he was going to say anything else. When he didn't, she walked over to the door and opened it to let the girls back inside. From the looks on their faces, Hermione was certain they'd been listening in on their conversation.

"It's settled," she declared, her eyes never leaving Theo's. "I'll be under the cloak tomorrow night." The silence that followed seemed to be an unspoken challenge for Theo.

After a few moments, the girls nodded slowly. Their eyes darted back and forth between the Nott siblings until they decided the argument was over.

"It's late," Tracey pointed out. "Should we finish planning tomorrow?"

Hermione nodded, her gaze finally leaving Theo's.

Xxxxx

She rushed off to write a letter to Harry and was about to head to the owlery to send it, when she realized the possible danger behind doing so. She borrowed Theo's owl instead.

Laying in bed ten minutes later, Hermione reflected on what was to happen tomorrow. Her worries about Draco in the Hospital Wing caught up to her and she realized just how much was riding on tomorrow night.

Since Milford's curse was resolved with such a simple remedy, they didn't know the untreated, long-term consequences. What if Draco was in more danger than they knew?

Then came the conflict with Theo. Hermione and her brother had been getting along fairly well, so this felt like it came out of nowhere. Even though they were blood-related and had been in the same house for a few months, he didn't know her as well as she thought he did. Relationships take time, but it sometimes felt like time wouldn't make up for the years they'd already lost.

Hermione wouldn't have admitted so openly, but she was worried about tomorrow night. Solving mysteries with Harry and Ron was one thing, but Theo, Tracey, Pansy, and Daphne? She didn't know how they acted in these situations.

She rolled over and settled in for an uneasy night's sleep.


	20. Crumpled

I'm sorry! A lot has been going on, so I haven't been writing as much (wow. most overused line in the A/N sections of FF, amiright?). Anyways, things are building up a bit and I'll try to get a chapter out next week.

* * *

Hermione woke up the next morning to Daphne shaking her awake. Groggy, she rolled over and prepared to give her an ear-full, when she spotted something in Daphne's hand. Intrigued, she grabbed the tightly rolled letter. When she saw the barely-visible green ink, she knew it was from Harry.

Last night's conversation came back to her and she remembered the letter she had sent off. _No cloak? _she thought to herself. She sat up quickly and, with a quick mutter of 'thanks' to Daphne, unraveled the note.

_Hermione,_

_I'm so sorry. I won't be able to send you the cloak._

_I'm in the middle of packing and Grimmauld Place is a bit of a mess right now. I was trying to keep it a surprise until you arrived for Christmas Break, but I found a nice flat in the centre of London for Ginny and I. It's on Charing Cross Road and close to Diagon Alley. That's all I'm saying - you'll see it when you get here._

_Anyways, it'd take me a week to find the cloak among all the boxes. It almost looks like I'm trying to recreate the Triwizard Tournament maze here. The good news is that I summoned the map. I'll be sure to send it with this letter._

_We miss you, Hermione. Can't wait for Christmas,_

_Harry_

Hermione looked up at Daphne expectantly. "Where's the map?"

Daphne, nervous, avoided Hermione's gaze. "Map? He, um. . . didn't send one. Or a cloak, for that matter." Her eyes drifted to Hermione's to gauge her reaction.

"He. . . didn't send the map?" Hermione swept her hands across her hair a few times to smooth it down and stood up. If Harry didn't send the map, she needed to get another letter to him quickly to ensure it got there in time, which she told Daphne. She went over to the dresser and hurriedly tossed on her robes.

All the while, Daphne was nervously rambling. "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I hope he can get the map to us in time. Do you think he just forgot? Or is his eyesight really that bad? I mean, to send a piece of old parchment with the letter instead of the map is kind of ridiculous. I feel like anyone who isn't completely blind wouldn't make that kind of mistake, you know?"

Hermione tuned in at this point and laughed to herself when she realized what Daphne was saying. "Blank parchment? Daphne! Why didn't you tell me."

Daphne looked at her questionably. "It. . . didn't seem important?"

This time, Hermione laughed aloud. She had no need to be worried. "Where's the parchment at?"

Daphne relaxed and let out an audible sigh. "Last I knew, Theo and Tracey were inspecting it in the common room. They think it's 'interesting' for some reason."

Thanking Daphne, she headed out to the common room to see Theo and Tracey on one of the couches, inspecting the map from every angle. She walked over and stood over them to look at the parchment. Theo and Tracey seemed afraid to touch it and after a glance at the surface, Hermione could see why.

_Mr. Moony would like to inform the snakes that they are holding a lethal artifact that is deadly in the wrong hands._

A bit below this sentence, another was scribbled out in Sirius's handwriting.

_Mr. Padfoot would like to add that the snakes have come close to pressing the trigger point and would do well to avoid contact with the parchment._

Hermione tried to keep from laughing and put on a serious face before facing the others. Tracey and Theo looked at her in horror.

"Why would Harry send you something like this?" Theo asked, appalled.

She couldn't contain her laughter anymore and let it all out at once. Theo scooted back on the couch while Tracey and Daphne were worried for Hermione. After a few moments, she was able to get herself under control.

Looking around the common room to make sure it was empty, she moved close to the parchment to tap it. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The map's ink slowly appeared to reveal the front of the map and Hermione looked to see the other's reactions.

Theo and Tracey's interest piqued at the revealed map and moved forward, no longer afraid of it, while Daphne looked at Hermione in awe. Pansy came into the common room at that moment and joined the group.

"What'd I miss?"

Xxxxx

After allowing them an hour to properly appreciate the map, Hermione convinced them that they needed to go get breakfast. Even though a lot was on their minds, they needed to pretend everything was normal and allow the Gryffindors to see them going about their day-to-day business.

Hermione headed upstairs with the group. Right before heading into the Great Hall, she stopped and told the others that she should check on Draco. They agreed to meet up outside before the Quidditch game against Gryffindor later that afternoon.

She walked up to the Hospital Wing at a much slower pace than before. Students rushed past her on their way to breakfast, chattering away about the upcoming Quidditch game. If Harry and Ron were here, she knew they'd be doing the same thing. Even though she was surrounded by friends in Slytherin, Hogwarts never felt so. . . empty. Christmas Break couldn't come soon enough.

Hermione was rounding the corner to the Hospital wing when she heard her name being whispered from somewhere behind her. She slowed her pace gradually, getting her wand subtly out of her robe. At once, she stopped abruptly and spun on the spot with her wand extended. She scanned the hallway, but nobody was there.

She held her ground for a few more moments before deciding to continue into the Hospital Wing. Just as she turned to leave the corridor, she heard her name again. It sounded as though the person calling her was in one of the hallway's alcoves. She raised her wand again and slowly crept toward the spot.

She quietly snuck over, but was caught off-guard by a flash of red hair. Hesitating for a moment, her wand lowered slightly. There were very few redheads at Hogwarts. ". . . Ginny?"

Half of Ginny's face came into view. "Shh," she whispered, beckoning Hermione closer.

Hermione was suspicious of her behavior, but knew Ginny well enough to trust her. With everything that had been going on as of late, Ginny was one of the only Gryffindors Hermione felt she could still trust, even though they hadn't talked over the last few months. Once she was close enough to see Ginny fully, the younger girl pulled her into the alcove.

"Ginny, what-"

"Be quiet," she instructed. Her head disappeared around the alcove entrance as she scanned the hallway. Once satisfied nobody was around, she turned to Hermione. "I really need to talk to you. There's a lot going on in Gryffindor at the moment."

Hermione's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Okay. . . so talk."

"Not here,"' she replied. Her eyes were still scanned the hallway that was in their view. "Can you meet me behind the Slytherin stands before the game?"

This caught her off guard. "Don't you need to be with your team before the game? The captain's supposed to give a pep talk before walking out, right?"

Ginny's eyes left the hallway to look at Hermione, annoyed. "Exactly. They won't be expecting it. Will you be there?"

She had a lot of questions, but knew Ginny wouldn't want to answer them in the hallway's alcove. "Okay. I'll be there."

Ginny nodded and left the corridor immediately after Hermione's confirmation. She stood there a few moments after the younger girl left, taking in the conversation. _What's so urgent that they have to meet up before the game? And who's 'they'? _

Hermione remembered where she was and knew she needed to get to the Hospital Wing. She hadn't allowed her worries about Draco to come up, but being just around the corner from him, those feelings were resurfacing.

She walked into the Wing and looked around. A few beds had filled up and she saw some new faces that weren't there before. Madam Pomfrey was tending to a young girl on the opposite wall as Draco, who seemed to be coughing up confetti.

Pomfrey looked up when Hermione entered the room. "I'll be right over."

She nodded and walked toward Draco's bed. She could see that the curtains were pulled back and he was still unconscious. She'd hoped he would be awake, but knew that someone would have told her if he'd improved. As she approached him, a wheezing sound caught her attention.

She placed a hand on his chest softly. Draco's chest pushed her hand up only slightly, as though a weight was on top of him. Every time he exhaled, a loud wheezing came from his nose.

Hermione looked up with panic to see where Pomfrey was, only to see her approaching them. Before she could say anything, Pomfrey put her hand up.

"I know. He has been doing that since last night."

She looked back down at Draco's pale face with more worry than before. "So this curse doesn't just affect the skin? He's struggling to breathe."

Pomfrey nodded. "I'm doing all that I can, Miss Nott. Both St. Mungo's and myself are researching this."

Deep down, Hermione knew that they _were_ doing all they could for Draco, but she still felt angry. _Couldn't they do more?_ "What now, then?" she said in a huff.

Pomfrey pursed her lips. "I've done all I can do for him. I'm afraid that he soon won't be able to breathe without some sort of assistance."

A lump was forming in Hermione's throat as she digested Pomfrey's words. "How soon?"

Madam Pomfrey looked at her sympathetically. "With the way the curse is progressing. . . 12 to 24 hours, I imagine." When Hermione didn't say anything, Pomfrey moved to the other side of the bed and put a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry. It's becoming too much for my resources here, Hermione. I don't know what to do; He's becoming cold and his feet are blistering. I've never heard of anything like this."

Hermione nodded in understanding. She liked Draco being at Hogwarts, but knew there were safer places for him to be. She pulled up a chair next to his bed and sat down, overly conscious of Pomfrey's presence. The older woman tended to Draco for a few moments before leaving them alone. The girl across the room had a few bucket's worth of confetti on her bed by this point.

She rested her head against the bed once Pomfrey was gone. Even though her group had a plan to solve the curse, she couldn't help but allow her nervous thoughts to surface. Now that Draco was developing strange symptoms, she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to defeat the curse. What if the curse affecting Draco was completely different from everyone else's? Was their plan a dead end?

After 30 minutes of anxious-thoughts, a loud noise from the door startled her and she looked up in surprise. McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Spalding came barreling in with an unconscious girl on a stretcher, levitating behind them. As they came into the room quickly, Pomfrey and Hermione rushed over. Laid out on the stretcher, red marks all over her face, was Millicent.

She gasped and backed up to get out of the way. Pomfrey ushered the adults over to one of the empty beds and they moved Millicent into it. All the while, Pomfrey was keeping a steady conversation with the Headmistress to discover what had happened.

Peeves was planning a prank and found Millicent in the antichamber across from the Great Hall, then went to tell McGonagall immediately. She was conscious when he left.

Pomfrey nodded along to the story and tried _Rennervate _on Millicent. Her eyes immediately opened and her hands flew to her face. Pomfrey urged her to be gentle and left to get a mirror for her.

Hermione knew she needed to hear Millicent's side of the story, but she also didn't want to crowd her. Although Millicent shared a dormitory with her, she hadn't taken the time to really get to know her because they were in different circles. They were friendly with each other, of course, but they only knew a handful of things about each other. Once the room cleared out, she would be sure to come back to ask questions. Now, however, she needed to find her group and tell them what happened.

She looked to Draco one last time, determination in her eyes. With all the attention in the room on Millicent, she bent close to Draco.

"We're going to find whoever did this to you, Draco," she whispered furtively. "They're going to pay."

Xxxxx

Taking the stairs more quickly than normal, Hermione rushed down to the Entrance Hall to meet up with the others. She hadn't expected to have to talk to Ginny, and the nearly-empty staircase reminded her that she was running late.

Once she got to the ground floor, she spotted her friends gathered in the corner next to the main door. Tracey smiled when she saw Hermione, and waved her over.

"How's he doing?" Pansy asked, hopeful.

Hermione's shook her head sadly. "Not well. They're transferring him to St. Mungoes."

Their looks of shock brought back the reminder of her anger at hearing the same news. She knew they had visited Draco themselves, but apparently Madam Pomfrey wasn't giving them the same updates she had received. She quickly assured them that it was the best course of action and that Hogwarts soon wouldn't be able to help him.

"There's another thing," she said quietly, making sure nobody was around. They looked at her curiously and urged her on. "I talked to Ginny in the hallway. She wants to meet up with me before the game to talk about the attacks."

They looked at her questionably. Theo put a hand on her arm gently. ". . . I know you're friends with her family and all, but. . ."

Hermione scoffed and looked at the girls for backup, only to see they all shared the same looks of disbelief.

"Hermione," Tracey started, "if she wanted to tell you who's responsible for the attacks, why didn't she do that before now? Two people have already been attacked."

"Three," she corrected. "Millicent was attacked this morning. She was brought in while I was visiting Draco." Before they could react, she took a few steps back and made for the door. "I know what you all think, but it doesn't matter. I know Ginny is trustworthy and I know I need to talk to her." At that, she walked through the door at a brisk pace, ignoring the other's calls. After she was a few feet away from the building, she broke into a jog. She didn't care if they followed her or not. All she knew was that the game was set to start in about 15 minutes.

The Quidditch pitch was in sight and there were only a few hundred feet between herself and the nearest stands. She was starting to tire out, but knew she had to just keep going. Luckily, the Slytherin stands were the closest. With a sudden burst of energy, she picked up her pace.

_Finally_, she thought to herself when she reached the base of the stands. She turned around to look toward the castle and saw that the others weren't jogging behind her. _Oh well. I can take care of this myself._

Her efforts turned toward looking around for Ginny, but she didn't seem to be in sight. She walked around the Slytherin stands a few times and even peaked underneath the green and silver cloth that covered the wooden frames of the stands, but she still couldn't find Ginny.

_She did say the Slytherin stands, right?_ she asked herself. She thought back to their conversation earlier and could've sworn this was supposed to be their meeting place. Hermione convinced herself to do one more walk-around before the game was supposed to start.

She was rounding the corner of the stands, when she spotted a lone Gryffindor coming toward her from across the pitch. He waved toward her as he came closer. Hermione recognized him as one of the Creevy's.

"Hey!" he yelled to her. "McGonagall needs to see you. It's urgent!"

Hermione nodded and set off toward him. They met halfway across the pitch as she consciously realized just how many people were crowded in the stands surrounding them from all sides. It felt as though she accidently ran onto a stage in front of all her peers. Her face became hot.

The Gryffindor pointed toward the changing rooms. "She's over there," he informed her. She nodded her appreciation and set off once again.

Once there, she was properly exhausted. She walked around the small building and saw a group of teachers and students all huddled together. One face turned around from the horde of people.

"Hermione," McGonagall said in relief. "Please clear the students from the area and go tell Demelza that the game has been postponed."

Hermione nodded obediently. Like usual, she had a million questions to ask, but knew better than to go against the Headmistresses instructions.

"Okay, everyone! Clear the area!" she yelled, waving her arms to get their attention. When the students ignored her, she began deducting house points. Within minutes, the area was cleared of students and she was able to get a quick glance at what everyone was crowded around, or rather 'who'.

A flash of red hair and burgundy quidditch robes was visible between the all the professors feet. Hermione's eyes widened in recognition and before McGonagall could chide her for not following instructions, she rushed off toward the teacher's stands to find the commentator. Along the way, she spotted her friends coming toward her from the side of the pitch. _About time!_

She slowed her pace, but kept along her path anyways. She needed to tell the commentator what was going on so that she could go back to Ginny.

They met up with her along her way and walked with her. She quickly explained what was going on and told them to go back to the changing rooms. If they took Ginny to the Hospital Wing, they would have a much more difficult time asking questions and analyzing the situation. If the others were there, she wouldn't have to worry about having to wait to ask questions.

They left to do as she asked just as she was arriving at the teacher's stands. All the adults had been called to attend to the situation, so it was only Demelza Robins that was in the section. Demelza immediately made her announcement.

Hermione tried to hurry back to McGonagall and the others as quickly as possible, but knew it was too late. Once she arrived back at the spot, the only people left were her group of friends. When they saw her, they filled her in.

McGonagall spoke to the Gryffindor team, who had been waiting for their captain's pep talk. Apparently, Ginny dressed quickly in her robes and told them that she'd 'be back soon', but never returned. Another one of the Gryffindors found her and immediately went to the teacher's stands to get help.

_Poor Ginny_, she thought to herself. Even though they hadn't been talking _recently_, Ginny had always been like a sister to her. This was the second time that the youngest Weasley had been attacked at Hogwarts, and she couldn't help but feel guilty this time. If it hadn't been for their plan to meet up before the game, she would have given the team her pep talk and began the game unharmed.

Her face paled with the reminder of Draco's condition. She had seven years' worth of memories with Ginny- if she became as sick as Draco, Hermione wouldn't be able to forgive herself.

She remembered sharing a room with Ginny in the summer and waking up early to 's breakfasts. Even through Hermione's protests, Ginny always offered to sleep on the floor.

She remembered sitting on the sidelines of the Weasley Quidditch games in the backyard. She may not have been interested in the game itself, but she loved seeing Ginny's wide grins when she pulled out of tricky broom-maneuvers. Her friend's happiness was contagious in these moments and Ginny would spend all night discussing her favourite tactics with Hermione, who was only slightly interested.

She remembered those early years when Ginny was obsessed with Harry. Once Hermione had learned about the crush, she was the number one person that the younger girl would turn to. After the crush had mellowed out, Hermione was the one to help her move on.

Hermione remembered Ginny's feistiness and ability to turn situations so that she'd have the upper hand. It was strange to hear that she'd be attacked with this in mind. Whoever did this, definitely knew her enough to know Ginny's strengths and weaknesses.

She wondered what Harry and Ron would say when they found out what happened, and suddenly knew that they needed to solve the curse before they could get fired up. Now that Harry was the Head of the Aurors, he'd probably try to send the entire department to the school to interrogate everyone.

Then there was Ron. Hermione remembered his reactions to Ginny's relationships, and shook her head with the memories. She didn't even want to think of what his reaction would be, but. . . she couldn't help but think he might blame her. If she'd solved the curse sooner, his sister would be fine. Even though Ginny prided herself on being able to protect herself, Ron probably thought Hermione needed to protect her.

Hermione asked them what happened to Ginny and they all shared nervous glances. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"She was hit with the curse," Daphne said softly. "There were red marks all over her arms."

Tracey looked at Hermione sympathetically. "The teachers said she might have been able to defend herself if she'd had her wand on her."

Hermione took this bit of information systematically and a realization hit her. "'_They won't be expecting it_'," she said quietly, echoing Ginny's words earlier. She looked up at her friends. "I think Ginny was intending on telling me who was behind the attacks, but the attacker found out. She may be a Gryffindor, but she was going to give the person away, so they attacked." As soon as she said it, she knew it had to be true.

Theo nodded. "I think you're right." He shifted uncomfortably and looked at Pansy. "So. . . where does this leave us?"

She was confused for a moment before realizing what he was implying. If the attacker somehow learned about Ginny's plan, they could already know what her group was planning. The strike against Ginny completely surprised them, so perhaps they'd been underestimating the attacker. Maybe the best course of action would be to change their plans at the last minute.

Realizing everyone was now staring at her, she cleared her throat. "I don't know where it leaves us, but I do know that we can't talk about it here." Although everyone had already cleared the Quidditch pitch, aside from a few stragglers, the dungeons offered more security.

It wasn't a direct answer, but the others were satisfied. They turned to leave the pitch.

A glint of soft pink in the grass caught Hermione's attention when the others walked away. Where the grass was laying flat from Ginny's weight, lay a crumpled-up, pink peony flower without the stem. Before the others turned around, Hermione moved forward and put the peony in her robe pocket.

_The professors must have been too preoccupied to have noticed it_, Hermione thought to herself. The state of the flower indicated Ginny had been laying on top of it, so it had definitely been there when they picked her up. The only question was why.

Hermione wasn't stupid, of course. Draco and her wore matching peony flowers to the Autumn Ball, so it would seem as though the attacker was targeting her. The attacker most likely knew that they were planning to hide her in the Owlery with Pansy. This could be their way of saying 'you're next'.

_But why me?_ she couldn't help but think. She'd been a Gryffindor before, so theoretically if Slytherins were being targeted, she should be the safest student in the house. Her questions returned back to the attacker's motives and reasoning behind the specific students they'd attacked. She was anxious for nightfall to come so that her questions could be answered, but knew they had to strategize first. _They_ would have tact on their side.


	21. Confrontation

Extra long chapter this time around. Hopefully I'll have one more chapter after this one and an epilogue. It's turning out much longer than I'd anticipated, but I couldn't imagine the story without all the little details I've written in. Hope its been enjoyable for you guys too.

* * *

Hermione was only nine years old when she'd experienced the first death in her family.

The smell of peanut butter cookies and moth balls now comes back to her memory as she thinks about her grandma and grandpa. There wasn't anything to do at her grandparent's house, besides coloring on their old newspapers, but her parents made her visit once a year nonetheless. Every summer like clockwork, she'd stay the night at their house, pretending she was interested in their idle chit-chat.

She wasn't.

They'd always ask her the meaningless questions she'd already answered a million times for all her other adult relatives: 'How's school', 'Do you have a lot of friends?', 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' She thought about leaving to go read, but she didn't want to upset anyone. She was there to visit her Grandma and Grandpa, not isolate herself.

This one summer in particular was one she'd never forget. She woke up on their plastic-covered couch rather early in the morning after a long night of reading through their old _Ideal Home _magazines to fall asleep. The detail that struck her as strange was how quiet the house was. Normally at that time of day, her Grandpa was in the backyard cutting firewood for the day and her Grandma was cooking an elaborate breakfast for their favourite (also read as 'only') grandchild.

Hermione stood up and walked through the dining room, into the small kitchen. The clean counters suggested that her Grandma wasn't awake yet, but she always woke up early. Thinking this strange, she walked down the hall and peaked through her grandparent's door.

Through the crack, all she could see the back of her grandpa. He was speaking on the phone in hushed tones, but she could tell he was clearly upset. Her grandfather was a stern man that rarely revealed any emotion suggesting weakness. Something was terribly wrong.

"Grandpa?"

He put the phone to his chest and turned around. Hermione had to do a double-take. His carbon-grey eyes gleamed back at her from a tearstained-face. "Hermione! Uh. . ." he sputtered, turning part way around to look back into the room. "Come with me, sweetheart." Putting the phone back to his ear, he muttered something to the person on the phone and quickly shut the door behind him as he stepped out into the hall. Hermione tried to get a glimpse into the room at what he was concealing, but couldn't.

He led her down the hallway, back to the couch. Once there, he motioned for her to sit down.

"Grandma isn't feeling well, Hermione. Your mom and dad are going to come pick you up."

Hermione wasn't stupid, of course. She knew his words were code for something much worse, but also knew he was in a sensitive state at the moment. For the sake of him, she didn't push any questions on him or pester him for details. She'd read enough books to know what was to come next. Instead, she stood up and hugged him around his midsection. He jumped in surprise at first, before relaxing into the embrace.

They stood there like that for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, her parents knocked at the door and came in to retrieve Hermione. Her mother was a sobbing mess during the entire ride back to their house, leaving little to the imagination. Her Grandma had died in her sleep.

Over the years, Hermione thought back to that summer a lot. Eventually, Grandpa couldn't take care of himself and had to move into a senior-living home down the road, but she wouldn't ever forget that morning. All things considered, her grandfather handled the situation incredibly well. It wouldn't be until Hermione lost another person, that she would be able to fully appreciate just _how_ well.

xxxxx

It was time.

Half an hour until midnight, Hermione's group gathered in the Slytherin common room, prepared to head to the Owlery with their new plan. For the last hour, she had been watching the Owlery on the map, but nobody had spent more than a few minutes in the small room.

The others were nervous, of course. Hermione had plotted and executed plans dozens of times with Harry and Ron, but the Slytherins had spent the last six years doing more normal activities. While they were saving the school from Basilisks and forming Dumbledore's Army, the Slytherins were busy being students and running into their own, less-monumental, problems.

After going back and forth, Hermione ultimately decided to tell them about the crumpled peony flower that she had found in the grass as they were leaving. She was torn initially because she didn't want them to worry about her being targeted, especially with Draco's worsening condition and the attacker's increase in confidence.

However, it came back to trust. These last few weeks, Hermione realized just how lucky she was to have become so easily accepted into her rival house, but she still held a part of herself back because of old habits. Once she opened up about the most closed off part of herself- feelings for Draco- she realized that these people were her friends and that she needed to be herself with them.

That being said, their reaction to her news was incredibly negative and almost made her wish she didn't tell them.

"Hermione!" Theo yelled, mouth left agape. "You were going to hide that from us?"

Her eyes traveled all across the room so as to avoid eye contact. "Well. . . yes. I suppose I was. But only so that you all wouldn't worry."

Theo's face remained stagnant at her words, then after a few moments, slowly came up into an unnatural smile. "What?" he said nonchalantly. "I'm not _worried_. Of course not. . ."

Hermione wanted to laugh. This was an uncharacteristic version of the brother she'd come to know. "You're not?" she questioned, knowing he'd lie.

His arm came to rest against the wall in a relaxed position. "Um, no. . ." He blew out a puff of air through the unnatural smile. "I mean, a crazed Gryffindor is definitely threatening my sister, but otherwise. . ." he drifted off with a shrug, leaving the sentence hanging in the air.

She smiled. "Well, if you're not worried. . . I guess that means I can go into the Owlery by myself, right?" she teased.

Theo didn't think the game was funny anymore and his arm fell away from the wall harshly as he snapped straight. "Absolutely not, Hermione. I thought we already argued over this. For-"

"-Calm down," Hermione laughed. "We're going to stick to our new plan. I was just having a laugh."

"If you two are done," Daphne interrupted softly, "we need to get going."

They checked the clock on the wall and realized just how late it was getting. With a nod, Hermione opened the map up and pointed at the hallway outside of the common room. The only movement nearby was Slughorn, who seemed to be pacing in his personal quarters, but otherwise the coast was clear.

Hermione was about to lead them out into the hallway, when Pansy stopped her.

"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing at McGonagall's office on the map.

Hermione laughed. Hovering a few inches away from McGongall's name was Spalding's name. Pansy giggled and Hermione couldn't help but chuckle as well. The two dots representing the professors weren't too close, but they weren't far apart either.

"Good for her," Tracey commented. "Maybe her _midnight visitor_ will make her a little less uptight."

Daphne gave her an incredulous look. "It's probably not what it looks like. We're talking about McGonagall here."

Pansy smiled sweetly and placed her hand on Daphne's shoulder. "Oh, innocent Daphne," she sighed dramatically. "Everyone has needs."

Although Hermione was finding the conversation interesting, she knew they needed to get going. Reminding them of this, she set off for the entrance to the common room and checked the map one more time, just to be sure. With everyone behind her, she walked out into the hallway quietly and climbed the stairs.

They tried to move at a quick but quiet pace through the hallways, but it was difficult with such a large group. When they weren't stopping to check the map, Hermione was stopping the group to tell off somebody for being too loud. Peeves almost ran into them a time or two, but they were careful. By the time they reached the corridor to the Owlery tower, she realized just how much she missed Gryffindor tower's location.

Unlocking the History of Magic classroom, they crowded in and sat down around the closest table. Hermione laid the map down and cast _lumos_, holding her wand above the parchment.

Theo and Daphne kept watch on movements in and out of Gryffindor tower, while Pansy, Tracey, and Hermione watched the corridors and the Owlery corridor. They sat in silence for ten minutes like that, until Hermione finally spoke up.

"It's 12:08, you guys." They looked up at the clock and backed away from the map.

Theo cleared his throat. "Do you think they're coming?"

From the looks on everyone's faces, none of them seemed to think that they would be. Tracey's face, however, lit up with an idea.

"Maybe they'll only come if someone walks into the Owlery! They might have placed some sort of protective charm-"

"-That way, they'll know if someone enters the room before they leave the security of Gryffindor tower!" Hermione finished excitedly. She had a lot of experience with protective charms, having been on the run with Harry and Ron. She was surprised she didn't think of it first.

Theo, Pansy, and Daphne looked at them, impressed. After a few moments, Pansy stepped forward.

"So I guess that means we're back to the original plan?" she asked.

Hermione thought about it for a few moments and shook her head. "No, I think they're already prepared for that. I should go."

They could all tell from the look on his face that Theo was about to intervene, then thought better of it. Last time he tried to protect her, he talked himself into a hole and they argued. Instead, after a few moments, he placed his arm around Hermione. "Be careful."

She smiled, glad he was willing to trust her on this. "I will." Hermione then turned to the others, seeking some sort of permission from everyone else.

When nobody stepped forward, she gave a satisfied nod. "I'll go into the Owlery and wait. If they don't come in the next twenty minutes, I'll come back. If they do come, you guys know what to do." They gave solemn nods, accepting her plan.

Daphne rushed forward to hug her. "I hope you'll stop putting yourself in danger one day," she said softly into the hug before breaking away.

Hermione smiled at Daphne's sweet sentiment. "I have to do this, Daphne. I'm sorry."

She nodded in response, a sad look coming over her face. "I know. . . you'll never lose your sense of heroism," she muttered, her voice catching.

Hermione looked to Theo and they shared a nod of understanding. She knew he wasn't the hugging-type. She gave one last look at the map before grabbing her wand and leaving the classroom.

Xxxxx

With winter quickly approaching, the wind whipped harshly around the Owlery, making both Hermione and the owls shiver in the cold midnight air. The room was too small to find a hiding place, so she stood along the far wall and faced the door, wand in hand. She strained her ears to try and listen for approaching footsteps, but the wind whistling through the empty windows was the only sound she could discern. The only light came from the two torches near the door and the full moon.

As she stood there in the nearly-dark room, she thought back to Theo. She hadn't expected him to go along with her sudden plan so easily, but she was impressed that he did. In the few months that they'd had to get to know each other that led up to this point, their relationship had really evolved from the initial discomfort.

She remembered how weird it was to visit Nott Manor at the end of the summer. She had only just learned about her heritage and had been unbelievable nervous about visiting the manor. Theo hadn't been at all what she'd been expecting and what began as an uncomfortable tour of the fancy estate, turned into a time of learning about her mother and coming to know her new brother. She smiled at the memory of Theo gifting her with her mother's jewelry box and how he softly answered her questions afterwards, allowing her to dig up the past even though it still hurt.

He may have manipulated her slightly into taking the Nott name, but she didn't regret it. Thoughts of Mr. and Mrs. Granger still resurfaced every now and then, but she now knew that moving on helped her grow in her relationship with Theo. By taking the Nott family name, she was putting her trust in him, just as she was doing now.

Hermione was just surprised he was starting to put his own trust in her. Their argument about her ability to take care of herself bothered her more than she'd care to admit. After that point, it seemed like they were going backwards instead of forwards in their relationship. She thought their trust was mutual after she took his name, so his words caught her completely off-guard at the time. His agreement to her coming to the Owlery alone was a huge step forwards and restored some of her hope.

She looked up at the nearby clock and saw that she still had five more minutes of waiting. She shivered in the cold, but kept an eye on the doorway. Some of the stone around the entry was still chipped away from the Battle of Hogwarts, a reminder of the fight she endured.

Hermione often wondered what Theo's role in the Battle had been, but she tried to keep those thoughts from going too far. Nevertheless, _did he turn against our father during the Battle? Or did he follow instructions until Nott Senior's demise?_ She knew the answers to such questions really weren't important, but she couldn't cut off her curiosity.

It was probably the thoughts of the Battle, or perhaps the reminder of her friends close by, but she desperately hoped they would be able to capture the attacker without anybody else getting hurt. She was scared to meet the attacker, as she had no idea what, or who, to expect. Her mind came back to Draco's marks on the back of his neck and she shivered at the thought. Whoever the attacker was, they didn't seem to care about fair fights. What kind of wizard or witch attacks someone who has their back turned?

Suddenly and without warning, the air took on a different quality. Something was wrong.

Even though her twenty minutes weren't up yet, she rushed to the entryway and peaked outside to make sure no one was around. Quickly, she rushed into the hallway and toward the History of Magic classroom. Once next to the door, she strained her ears to listen, but couldn't hear anything in there. Caution to the wind, she threw open the door.

"Expelli-!"

"-Expelliarmus!"

Hermione's wand flew out of her hand and across the room onto the floor. Her face fell in utter shock.

Timothy Creevy stood at the other side of the room, across from the door. He had a look of arrogance on his face at having disarmed Hermione. In his left hand, he held his own wand, while the other held the wands of her friends in a tight bundle.

All around the room, her friends lay unconscious in varying states. Daphne and Pansy were collapsed next to the table, red marks covering their faces and arms. Tracey was close to the front of Binns' desk, arms slung over her face and robe partially torn, revealing red marks all across her forearms and the part of her face that Hermione could see. Theo's state tore her heart the most, however. It seemed as though he'd been trying to make it to the door to warn Hermione, but didn't quite make it. As a consequence, his face was covered in the red marks and swollen to the point where he was barely recognizable.

Hermione felt tears coming up, but swallowed them down harshly. She didn't know if her friends would be okay, but she knew she couldn't think about that now. She had to instead focus her mind on the situation and her trust in her abilities. _You can do this_, she thought to herself, _just stall him_.

Her eyes came to rest on Timothy's.

He gave out a laugh that seemed more relieved than evil. Walking behind Binns' desk with his wand pointed at her, he retrieved Hermione's wand and added it to the bundle in his left hand, all while keeping his eyes on Hermione. He resumed his former place in the room and kept his wand pointed at Hermione, a silent threat.

Meanwhile, her thoughts were running wild. She theorized that Timothy was trying to avenge his brother's death, but she wasn't certain as to her role in all of that. Hermione knew she needed to stall him to give herself time to come up with a plan, however, so she acted dumb.

"Why would you do this?" she asked innocently, emotion choking her up. The words seemed too loud in the quiet room.

Timothy's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the blunt question. "_Why_? Isn't it obvious. I thought you were the smartest witch at Hogwarts," he said mockingly.

She pretended to think for a few moments and her face changed into one resembling sympathy. "_Colin_. . . of course. I'm sorry."

Timothy sent her a look of anger and the grip on his wand tightened. "I don't need _sympathy_," he spat. "My family had to bury my older brother. I've had all the _sympathy_ I could take."

Hermione nodded, her expression turned to indifference. "I, um. . ." she hesitated, not sure if this was the right route to go, "I know it's nothing compared to you losing your brother, but I lost a lot of friends in the war. Too many for me to want to bring up. . ."

He laughed. "Yet you become friends with the people that are responsible?" He took a step towards her. "I'll never understand you. You _disgust_ me."

She wanted to take a step back, but held her position nevertheless. "I hate that it happened, but your brother was killed by a death eater, Timothy. My friends aren't responsible."

Timothy smirked at her words. "Oh. . . you don't know?" He took another step towards her and straightened. "My brother was killed by Nott Senior."

Hermione was caught off guard by that. She didn't know how to combat his point, and it showed on her face. Her mouth fell open slightly and eyebrows shot up before she quickly recovered.

He took advantage of this. "How funny," he sneered. "You thought that your little _career groups _would heal the past. . ."

Things were escalating quicker than she could handle. She tried to think quickly. "You're right- the career groups didn't solve anything. But neither will this! Do you think everyone will see you as a hero? Once they find the cure-"

"-the cure?" He laughed. "They won't find the cure."

Hermione flinched at that thought. "What?"

He took another step toward her. "They. Won't. Find. The. Cure," he repeated, emphasizing every word.

"Well," Hermione started, digesting what he said, "I'm sure they'll scour the Wizarding world for answers. They have to come up with something."

"Oh, perhaps they would 'come up with something', if I had found the spell in some library book. They'd have to search both worlds to come up with anything resembling an answer."

Hermione's face reflected her confusion at that and she momentarily forgot her fear. "What do you mean?"

Timothy smiled. "There's wizarding resources in the muggle world, too- you just have to know where to look," he gloated, taking another step towards her.

Hermione could sense he was about to attack at any moment. Her eyes traveled around the room once again, to each of her friends and their positions in the room. She couldn't help but feel like she'd be one of them at any moment.

_Stupefy_, she said in her head, as much feeling as she could muster. When nothing happened, she tried to clear her head. Being both nonverbal and wandless, Hermione wasn't sure if she'd be able to cast the spell.

Timothy was taking another step towards her and raising his wand with slow satisfaction at having cornered defenseless Hermione.

Thoughts of her friends resurfaced, despite her efforts, and she pushed them back down, determined not to allow her emotions to cloud her abilities. She had to leave behind her thoughts of Theo, Pansy, Tracey, and Daphne. They would be okay.

_Stupefy_!

Timothy was opening his mouth to say the words.

_STUPEFY!_

Before Timothy could utter the first sounds of the spell, Hermione's wand in his left hand gave off a flash of blinding, red light and he took a quick intake of breath. His body jumped up into the air and flew across the room, hitting the far wall as he slid down in an unconscious heap on the floor.

Hermione stood there for a few moments in shock at the power of her spell, before recovering and jumping into action. Although the spell had been powerful, the effects were only temporary. She retrieved her wand and conjured a rope to restrain Timothy in one of the chairs. She then walked around the room to each of her friends to cast _Rennervate_, but she wasn't able to wake anyone.

This, of course, brought back her worries from before and the reminder that she wasn't able to get a spell name out of Timothy as she'd hoped. _What if they're affected to the same degree as Draco? _she couldn't help but think to herself.

Pushing the 'what if's' to the side, she realized she needed to alert the adults to the situation. She was surprised nobody had heard the ruckus they had made in the nearly-silent castle. Using her wand, she summoned the Marauder's Map and laid it out on one of the tables. Binns was in his personal chambers a little ways down the corridor, but the wing was otherwise empty. Hermione quickly figured out that Timothy must have placed a quieting charm on the room in order to attack without rousing anyone.

Looking to the names in the History of Magic classroom, she noticed that everyone in the room was represented, except for Timothy. She looked up in surprise and turned to the younger student, slumped in his restraints across the room and still unconscious. _Is it somehow possible to make yourself unplottable on the map? Is that how he got into the room without any of them seeing his name appear?_

One thing she knew for sure: there was no way she was going to go get Binns to help with the situation. Based on the map, her nearest alternatives were too far away for her to track down while leaving Timothy here. Hermione wasn't sure how long he'd be unconscious and didn't want to risk his escape.

Hermione thought about how she could summon a professor there quickly without having to leave Timothy and her friends and brother. She thought of summoning a Patronus and tried to think of a happy memory, anything. She thought of her times with Harry and Ron and, more recently, her time with Theo and her friends. The sight of them on the floor surrounding her made this effort impossible. Thinking quickly, she rushed out into the corridor and back up to the Owlery. Once there, she went to the window and shot red sparks into the night sky with her wand.

_There, _she thought to herself, _someone should come now._

Hermione hurried back to the classroom and was relieved to see that Timothy was still in the same spot that she left him. Sitting down at the table nearest the door, she looked to the map and tried to ignore her friends on the ground.

This was harder said than done. Memories of the Battle of Hogwarts came rushing back to her before she could control her thoughts and the lump in her throat resurfaced. Especially now that she was planning to become a healer, she couldn't help but feel as though there was more she could be doing than simply _waiting_. A sudden urge kicked in to check for her friends' pulses.

It was decided: she wasn't going to fight her irrational thinking any more. She jumped up and moved to Theo, who was the closest, and grasped his wrist, feeling around for his pulse with her thumb.

She couldn't feel anything. Perhaps it was the sound of her heart in her ears or her urgent grasping. Or perhaps this was Timothy's last revenge. What better way to avenge his brother's death than to kill the son of the man responsible?

Emotions overcame her and a sob erupted from the very core of her. Her hand let go of his wrist as her head came to rest on his chest, already wet with the first of her tears.

_No, no, no, no, please._

All those memories that she'd been thinking of earlier, came flooding back once again. When he walked into the cafe and told her that he was her brother. . . Coming to Nott Manor for the first time and learning about her family from Theo. . . Being resorted into Slytherin and getting into her first fight with him . . .

It wasn't fair. She thought she still had years of time left with him- time to catch up and learn more about him. Hermione had dreamt of living with him in Nott Manor as she started her career as a healer. She'd imagined inviting Harry and Ron over for dinner during the weekends and lecturing Theo afterwards about the importance of getting along with them. She thought about Theo at her wedding, dancing with her and then threatening the groom with bodily harm if she was ever mistreated. Theo had quickly become a very important part of her life and she was looking forward to growing old with him around.

Sadness subsided just enough to allow the anger to set in and her head came up from Theo's chest to Timothy. He was still unconscious in his restraints, head lulled on his right shoulder, but even in sleep, he no longer looked like one of the naive Creevy brothers. No. In that moment of Hermione's rage, he was evil itself. She didn't know what she was going to do, but was certain that nobody would be able to stop her.

"Hermione?" a gentle voice said from the doorway. She recognized it as McGonagall before she turned.

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand before turning to face the older woman, knowing she must look like an ugly, snot-covered troll. She stood up.

McGonagall had come into the room with Professor Flitwick, who had seen the red sparks and immediately gone to alert the Headmistress. Once Hermione had composed herself somewhat, the two adults came into the room and began accessing the situation and asking her questions. She answered them as well as she could, knowing there wasn't anything she could do for Theo or her friends while she was an emotional wreck. Once she got to the part about checking for Theo's pulse, McGonagall held up her hand and went to Theo herself.

She stooped down next to him, barely glancing at his swollen face, and made a grab for his wrist. After a few seconds of her composed attempt to find his pulse, she straightened up and gave Hermione a motherly look.

"Hermione, dear. He's just fine," she said softly. She turned away from Hermione to look at Theo once more. "He has a pulse and his chest is rising. His breathing is shallow, but there nonetheless."

She let out a shaky breath of air that she hadn't known she'd been holding in. _Theo's alive?_

She wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but refrained from doing so. Theo may be okay, but she needed to know if her friends were, too. She asked McGonagall to check the others.

A few moments later, McGonagall had checked Tracey, Daphne, and Pansy as well, all of whom were perfectly fine, aside from the curse marks. At that point, Hermione did laugh, more in relief than anything else. It was _finally _over.

Xxxxx

An hour later in the Hospital Wing, stood Hermione outside of Madam Pomfrey's office. McGonagall and Flitwick had left half an hour ago to return to their chambers after bringing all of her friends in on conjured stretchers.

"I don't need anything," she tried to tell the matron for the millionth time. "I feel better than ever."

"Nonsense," the older woman said from behind the ajar door. A few moments later, she emerged with a small glass of thick, purple potion. "You endured a very stressful situation. Drink up."

Hermione took the potion from her hands and, upon seeing the determined look on Pomfrey's face, downed the potion in one gulp. The unexpected carbonation of the substance made her grimace in disgust.

Madam Pomfrey, satisfied, walked to Pansy's bed to adjust her pillows. "Come by in the morning, if you can," she said with her back to Hermione. "Once the Headmistress gets permission to use Veritaserum on Mr. Creevy, we should be able to treat the curse." She turned her head partially towards Hermione. "I'm sure I'll be able to use your help."

Hermione promised she would come by. Feeling dismissed, she turned to walk towards the door, before deciding otherwise. She came around to the other side of Pansy's bed to face Pomfrey. Her face revealed her hesitation at what she was going to say.

"What is it?"

She sighed. "It's just. . . did you ever rethink your career choice?"

Madam Pomfrey gave her a surprised look before recovering. Her expression faded into impartialness. "Well. . . no, actually. I come from a long line of healers, so the decision was always clear to me. Quite literally, it's in my blood."

Hermione nodded. She'd hoped for some sort of advice, but now doubted that there was any. Madam Pomfrey couldn't relate.

"However," Pomfrey started, pillows abandoned, "if you're not sure if you should become a healer, you need to explore those feelings. Whatever career you choose, I'm sure that you will excel, Hermione." She gave her a small smile.

She nodded again, not sure what to say. The look on Pomfrey's face was one of curiosity, so she decided to explain herself. Her eyes traveled to Pansy's marks. "I just- I didn't know what to do in that room. Everyone was helpless and required medical attention. My emotions just. . . clouded every rational thought that I had." Her face came up to look at the matron. "That's never happened to me before. I'm always the first one to act in those situations."

Madam Pomfrey smiled in understanding. "After school, once I'd completed a few internships at various hospitals around the country, I was in a very similar position with my younger sister." She looked off at a point across the room, eyes clouded with the memory. "She had been attempting to become an animagus without any sort of assistance. . . If only I had known. . ." Remembering where she was, her eyes snapped back to Hermione. "I found her in her bedroom, fur all over her head. I felt absolutely terrible for not recognizing the signs of her secret. I wanted to help her, but didn't know what to do."

"What happened?"

"Well. . ." she hesitated, "I was young and naive at the time. I cast an Animagus Reversal spell."

Hermione knew Sirius and Lupin had cast the same spell on Wormtail during her third year, but she hadn't known there to be any negative side effects from the spell, as Madam Pomfrey had implied.

Madam Pomfrey turned around once again, this time to straighten Daphne's blankets. "I only made things worse for her," she sighed, emotion barely kept out of her voice. "She's a permanent resident at St. Mungos because of me." She turned to face Hermione with watery eyes. "Had I not done anything, she could have lived a normal life."

After hearing the entire story, Hermione recognized the story from her visit to St Mungo's. She remembered the older woman named Agnes in the same ward as Lockhart. Hermione instantly felt a pang of sympathy for Madam Pomfrey in that moment.

She didn't want to upset the matron any more, but she was also dying to know. "Is that why you work for Hogwarts?"

Pomfrey nodded in confirmation, her moment of sadness gone. "Yes. I wasn't able to be licensed after the incident. Once the Matron position opened up here, Dumbledore hired me as an act of good faith." She smiled sadly. "I was indebted to him until the very end."

Hermione nodded, knowing she had a lot of thinking ahead of her. It was too late to change her schedule for NEWTs, but that didn't mean she couldn't change career paths. Madam Pomfrey's story was good to hear, though. She now knew that if she was to decide on a different career, tonight's events shouldn't be the main reason.

Madam Pomfrey cleared her throat. "It's late, you best be off to bed." She came around the bed and started to shoo Hermione out of the Wing. "Come by in the morning."


	22. Happy

This was really difficult to write. Seriously. Kudos to all of you authentic, experienced fanfic writers out there. I originally thought I would end it at about 30,000 words because it's my first fic. Hm. Shows how much I know.

There WILL be an epilogue soon. I'm moving into my dorm on Friday, so I can say that with some degree of certainty. I know I won't have time to write with Week of Welcome activities and school soon underway, so I will definitely kick my butt into gear.

I wanted to give a huge shout out to my beta, Ninjadevil2000. Editing fics, especially from first-time writers, has got to be difficult, but she stuck with me through this entire process and was there to help me when I considered giving up. Seriously- go check out her profile. She's written some fantastic pieces that will wow you.

I also wanted to thank those of you that left your kind reviews. I'm thankful and surprised to have received so few negative words from you all. As a first-time creative writer, I appreciate how many of you must have held back. The positive words helps to keep us writers motivated.

* * *

Hermione had woken up bright and early, ready for the day and everything to go back to normal. Well, 'woken up' doesn't quite describe it; she hardly slept at all. With the thoughts running through her head, it was rather difficult. Instead, she had laid there in silence, trying to force her mind to calm down.

By the time 8 a.m. rolled around, the bags under her eyes deeply set, she sat up from bed and tried to mentally prepare for the day. The cold dungeon floor beneath her bare feet seemed to jolt her awake for a brief second. Trying to not look at the empty beds in the room, she quickly brushed her hair and tossed on some clothes.

She climbed the stairs to the Hospital Wing, having promised Madam Pomfrey that she'd visit once she woke up. She doubted there would be any change in the Wing since being there last, but she gave it a shot anyways.

Ten minutes later, she walked back through the doors and down to breakfast. McGonagall was still waiting to hear back from the Ministry on their decision regarding the use of _Veritaserum _on Timothy. Without it, there was no chance at helping her friends.

She sat down at the Slytherin table, still rather empty without her friends around her. Putting a few sausages and a piece of toast on her plate, even though she wasn't hungry, she ate.

Although they'd caught the person responsible for the curse, what if others in the school felt the same way? The faces in Slytherin house may not be entirely responsible for the deaths during the war, but they were very similar to the ones that were. She hated to think that she had to be on edge for the rest of the school year, always looking behind her and keeping watch over her friends.

She thought back to the end of the war and how everyone came together in the face of the tragedies. Fred. . . Lupin. . . Tonks. . . Everyone was devastated yet somehow, united in that trama. They all were able to turn to each other for comfort, helping one another get through the funeral progressions and back into normal life. Hermione had to deal with losing her parents on top of all that, but the Weasleys were still there for her.

Hermione's way of coping had been to throw herself into her research. She knew that if she spent her time researching memory charms, she wouldn't have to deal with the emotional baggage that came post-war.

Rather expectedly, Harry and Ron had coped in an entirely different way. Harry had felt guilty for several months and coped by surrounding himself by his past ghosts. He wasn't ready to let go of the others, and moving into Grimmauld Place made him feel as though he was getting back to normal. For a time, he spent his days reflecting on the Order of the Phoenix meetings and that feeling of being a part of something larger than himself.

Ron was there for Harry to listen to his guilty rants, but he was dealing with a completely different intensity of grief. He put on a mask around Harry, but the fact remained that he'd lost a brother. Eventually, his feelings came bubbling to the surface and he wasn't able to deal with them. Anger, frustration, and guilt all came in waves. Hermione doesn't know exactly how Ron dealt with the loss of Fred, but she knew that Harry had played an important role in Ron's grief. The emotional details were between the two of them.

As to what would help the students of Hogwarts, Hermione was at a loss. Everyone dealt with grief differently, so she didn't really know where to start. She somehow doubted that they'd be willing to fill out a questionnaire.

Hermione poured herself some juice and watched the doors as a few more Slytherins came ambling in. Everyone seemed to know that she needed space, so they sat at the other end of the table. She was thankful for that.

Just as she was finishing her first bit of toast, rushing footsteps startled her out of her contemplation. She looked up just in time to prepare for the hug she received.

"Oh, Hermione! Thank goodness you're okay," Mrs. Weasley managed to say, mid-ambush. Hermione became enveloped in the older woman's poofy red hair.

She brushed some hair away from her face. "Yes, I'm perfectly fine, Mrs. Weasley," she echoed into the hug. After a few moments, she pulled away.

Behind Mrs. Weasley stood most of the family: Mr. Weasley, Ron, George, Percy, Bill, and Harry. The weariness in their eyes spoke volumes about what was weighing on their thoughts. After last summer's events, there was no doubt in Hermione's mind that they all thought the worst when they heard about Ginny. Even though she wasn't responsible for the younger girl's current state, she couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Minerva told us everything. . . Charlie couldn't make it on such short notice, though," Mrs. Weasley informed her. "He's undergoing some special training that doesn't allow him to have contact with anyone." Hermione thought that sounded extremely mysterious, but didn't question it. Charlie and his career was mysterious by nature.

"You guys weren't joking then," George marveled to Harry and Ron, his eyes on Hermione's green and silver tie. "That sure came out of nowhere, didn't it?"

"George. . ." Mr. Weasley cautioned.

George looked at his father innocently. "What?" He turned back to Hermione, who was quietly trying to gauge his reaction. "I'm just saying it's unexpected! If not Gryffindor, I would have considered you to be a Ravenclaw, perhaps. Slytherin, though? It's unexpected, that's all."

"Well," Percy started, punctuating the silence in the group, "I think it's wrong that you had to switch houses in the first place. I'm _sure _that there's a rule somewhere in Hogwarts' extensive code that a student's house is permanent." Hermione wanted to argue with him and explain the entire situation, but his annoyingly confident tone made her change her mind.

For a brief moment, an awkward silence hung in the air.

"Well, Hermione, we love you all the same," Mrs. Weasley announced with a smile, breaking any tension Percy had caused.

Everyone agreed at that, allowing Hermione to take a deep breath. They all knew she was a Slytherin, of course, but seeing versus hearing were two different things. She was sure they hadn't pictured her living in the dungeons and eating at the Slytherin table. Now that she'd seen their proper reactions to her new house and living situation, she could let go of the anxiety she hadn't realized she had been holding in.

They all sat down at the end of the Slytherin table and allowed Hermione to finish her breakfast. She missed being able to catch up on everyone's lives like this. She had written letters back and forth to Harry and Ron, but they weren't extensive. For example, she didn't even know that Bill was in the early stages of writing an educational book about werewolves.

From the conversation, Hermione learned that Harry and Ron hadn't told everyone extensive details about her life either. Mrs. Weasley wanted to hear all about her new friendships in Slytherin, her career groups, and the Autumn Ball. Likewise, Hermione wanted to know all about Molly's therapy and how her mental health was faring.

Once the pauses in conversation grew to be noticable, Ron cleared his throat. "Erm, Mum?"

Mrs. Weasley cast him a glance. "Hm? Oh! Yes, of course. You three must be dying to catch up." Harry and Ron's expressions revealed their relief. "Go on, now."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up from the table and left the others. Once out in the Entrance Hall, they quickly decided the weather outside was too cold for a stroll, opting instead to walk the halls.

For a while, they walked without conversation. Instead they opted to enjoy one another's company and the feeling of normality. It had been over a year since they'd been together in Hogwarts. Without the pressure of conversation, it was almost as though everything was back to normal again.

Except it wasn't. Quite a few things were different, actually. Even though not much time had passed, the trio was older and more mature than they were sixth year. Grief changes people and the three young adults walking the corridors now were not immune to its effects.

They weren't paying attention to where they were going, each lost in their own thoughts. It came as a surprise to all of them when they came to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Although she wasn't currently in her frame, they were all too familiar with this part of the castle.

All three of them laughed it off as being the 'old habit'. Hermione was now used to taking a different path, but it was easy to get back into the old one with Ron and Harry by her side.

Suddenly remembering something, Hermione took her bag off her shoulder and dug around inside for a few moments. She pulled Harry's map out of the bag and offered it to him.

Harry shook his head at her offer. "I think you should keep it for now. It'll be more useful to you."

Hermione thanked him and began to put it back into her bag.

"Wait," Ron stopped her. "Maybe we should see where everyone is. They didn't tell us when they were going to the Hospital Wing."

"Good idea," Hermione agreed. She pulled the map back out of her bag and revealed its contents, spreading it out between the three of them.

It took them a few seconds to find the group's names. Harry pointed to them. "Looks like they're heading to the Hospital Wing."

Ron and Hermione nodded and they all set off.

Xxxxx

Hermione knew that she shouldn't get her hopes up. She knew that there was a reasonably good chance that the Ministry wouldn't approve of using _Veritaserum _and that they'd be at a dead end. Her heart fell with that thought, but she knew it may be the case. If that were to happen, Hermione didn't know what she'd do.

However, walking around the corner and into the Hospital Wing, she learned that she wouldn't have to contemplate 'what if's'. Her face broke into a relieved smile at the sight before her and she couldn't help but laugh.

All of her friends were awake and sitting up in their respective beds, mid-conversation. At the other side of the room, all the Weasleys stood crowded around Ginny's bed, laughing and discussing her innate ability to be the target of the school's curses. Madam Pomfrey, usually opposed to chatter in her ward, was smiling broadly while tending to Millicent.

Hermione was quickly spotted by her friends and she hurried over, while Ron and Harry separated to join the Weasley group.

"When did you guys wake up?" she asked no one in particular.

"Just a few minutes ago," Tracey answered softly, her voice a little hoarse.

Hermione nodded, her mind still struggling to wrap her head around everything that happened in such a short time. She didn't think they'd have a cure ready this quickly. She asked them about this, but the others didn't have an answer for her.

"Pomfrey didn't tell us anything," Theo explained. "What happened after we were hit with the curse?"

"Well, I came into the room and-"

"- No, no, no," Pomfrey protested, coming from behind Hermione. "They need to rest. There will be plenty of time for story-telling later."

"Hey!" Pansy exclaimed.

Theo groaned. "Please?"

"Absolutely not," she reiterated, firm on her stance. She pulled Hermione aside into the corner of the room before any more of them could interrupt.

Her gaze softened. "I wish you could have been here, Miss Nott. I would have liked you to see the process of waking everyone up."

"Sorry. . . Did Headmistress McGongall receive permission to use _Veritaserum_?"

Pomfrey nodded. "They barely hesitated. The Ministry didn't want any deaths to result from the curse. They would have been responsible." She turned to gaze around the room. "The boy said that the curse is treated with Bubotuber pus."

Hermione's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Bubotuber pus alone? I thought it was only for acne."

"As did I. In any case, it worked almost immediately after being administered to their abrasions." She shook her head in disbelief. "To think: I had the solution in my cupboard this entire time. . ."

"You didn't know," Hermione comforted, almost putting one of her hands on the older woman's shoulders.

Madam Pomfrey nodded, accepting Hermione's words. "Well. . . I know you're hesitant to become a healer, but I hope you'll at least consider it." She turned to look at her with a twinkle in her eye. "We may not _always_ have the knowledge or resources to help others but when we do, there's no feeling like it." She gave Hermione a smile before joining the crowd at Ginny's bed.

She shook her head softly with a smile of her own. Before this year, she didn't know much about Madam Pomfrey and thought of her as merely strict and committed to her job. Without Harry and Ron by her side, she had much more time to get to know the matron. She knew that even if she didn't follow through with her original career plans, she'd always be grateful for the advice the older woman had offered during the last few months.

Hermione followed Pomfrey's example and walked over to the crowd at Ginny's bed, despite the dramaticized looks of shock being directed her way from her friends. She wedged herself in between Harry and Bill.

"-Yes, and anyways, I'm fine. I was the only one in Gryffindor that knew who was behind the attacks. I don't regret trying to warn Hermione and if I could go back, I'd do it again," Ginny said, finishing their conversation.

"And more carefully the second time around, right? Don't want you getting cursed again," Hermione laughed.

Ginny nodded, her face splitting into a huge grin. "Absolutely! The second time around would work out perfectly. I'd absolutely come up with a better plan."

The group laughed together, oblivious to the energy they brought into the Hospital Wing. As the laughter died down, Ginny's hand found Hermione's on the bed.

"Thank you. I'd still be unconscious if it wasn't for you."

Hermione shook her head. "No, thank _you_. If it wasn't for what you said, we might have never changed the plan." She thought about what she said and quickly continued. "Of course, the backup plan wasn't too good either. . . actually, I don't think any of you know about either plan. . . but I'm glad things worked out well."

"Well! I'm lost!" George announced.

Xxxxx

The group carried on talking for twenty minutes and Hermione was finally allowed to talk about the entire night and Timothy's motives. McGonagall had only given the group a brief outline of the night before, and Ginny hadn't heard the story at all, so she took the opportunity to give every detail. Everyone was surprised to hear that one of the Creevey's, a family known to carry so much overexcitement and joy, could do such a thing, but it made sense in a way. After all, they'd all witnessed the ever-changing nature of grief, as they'd all gone through it.

When it came time to talk about her wandless and nonverbal spell, she hesitated and modestly tried to rush past it in the story. The others asked her to clarify the details, of course, but she mumbled her way through it again. After a few more times, they finally understood the weight of what she was saying. Everyone was impressed, but unsurprised, that Hermione could cast and control such a spell.

Her gaze kept shifting behind her to her Slytherin group, but she knew she'd have plenty of time to catch up with them later. The thought of the Slytherins and Weasleys coming together crossed her mind, but she dismissed it as quickly as it came. There was no doubt that Mrs. Weasley would take the Slytherins under her wing without hesitation, but she didn't know how to go about including them. For now, she'd socialize with both groups separately.

The attention was eventually taken off of Hermione and her mind began to wander back to thinking about Draco. She knew that the school transferred him to St. Mungos, but she couldn't help but worry for him. He received the worst of the curse and she imagined it would take several days before he'd be able to return to the school. Her feelings came to the forefront of her mind once again and she was filled with anticipation at what was to come.

She nearly told him about her feelings. _Nearly_. If Timothy had postponed his plans for a few hours, Hermione would have had the chance to talk to Draco. At the time, she was incredibly frustrated at the lost chance. But now? She was utterly confused about the way she was feeling and how she was supposed to proceed. Would it be selfish of her to admit her feelings for him so soon? Should she allow him to recover fully before talking to him?

Admittedly, her attention had been too focused on the curse to really give any thought to her feelings lately. The idea crossed her mind that she wouldn't feel anything for Draco the next time she saw him. Perhaps by being away from him, her feelings had changed.

Eventually, Hermione noticed Madam Pomfrey sitting at her station and watching the clock, almost as if deciding when was a good time to break up the reunion. Once the matron noticed herself being watched, she stood up and politely asked the Weasleys to clear out. They all agreed, surprised they had been allowed to visit for so long. Hermione wasn't certain, but she thought it might have had to do with the recent friendship between herself and Pomfrey.

On the way out the door, she said goodbye to her friends and promised that she'd answer all their questions once they were out of the Hospital Wing.

The Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione walked into the corridor as one group, rather quiet compared to before. They only walked a few steps when Headmistress McGonagall stepped out into the hallway from one of the long side corridors. She gave a slight smile when she spotted Hermione amongst the group. She came forward, greeted the Weasleys warmly, and engaged in small talk for a few minutes.

"Do you mind if I borrow Hermione? We need to discuss the repercussions of last night."

"Oh! Of course," Mrs. Wealsey gushed. "We're just leaving, so I suppose we should say our goodbyes."

Mrs. Weasley turned to Hermione and embraced her tightly. "Keep in touch," she said into the hug. After a few moments, she let go of her and took a step back. "Don't rely on these two to relay anything, either," she instructed, gesturing to Harry and Ron.

Hermione nodded with a smile. "I'll write. I promise."

Mr. Weasley came forward and gave a short, obligatory side-hug. "And stay out of trouble."

She turned to Harry and Ron, but before they could say anything, George rushed past and gave a huge hug to Hermione, catching her off guard.

"Oh Hermione! I'm going to miss you!" He pretended to wipe tears from his eyes and let out a dramatic sob.

She laughed and patted his back a few times, glad that someone was there to break the tension. He let go of her and stood back, wiping a few more fake tears.

Finally, she turned to Harry and Ron. She rushed forward and gave them a hug that seemed to never end. They didn't need words.

Somebody from the group cleared their throat, which brought the trio out of the embrace.

"Okay. . . well, I'll see all of you in a few weeks." With that, giving Percy and Bill polite nods, she joined McGonagall and they started the walk to the Headmistress's office.

Xxxxx

"I apologize for needing you on such short notice, but I think we need to make a plan for how to approach this situation within the school. I'd like to hear what you think," McGonagall began once they were situated.

Hermione shifted in her seat and thought about her question. She was certain that the students already knew what had happened the night before, but she didn't know it was her responsibility as Head Girl to handle this.

"I think that Timothy represents the extreme of what many students are probably feeling. Hogwarts was restored, but the students within were expected to come back to school without a recovery period. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the younger students were still feeling unsafe."

McGonagall nodded, interested in Hermione's take.

"The reason that the career groups didn't work, I think, is that they focused on the students' innerhouse relationships, rather than the students themselves. Everyone here is dealing with their own struggles as a result of the war; putting them all into career groups without fixing the core issues doesn't solve anything," she finished.

The Headmistresses smiled. "I think you're getting somewhere here." She stood up from behind her desk and began to pace along the back wall of the office, deep in thought.

After a few minutes, she stopped and turned to Hermione. "Perhaps we could form groups to solve both issues at once. . . Students would be given a space to speak freely about their feelings and talk through their frustrations."

Hermione instantly knew that this was heading in the wrong direction.

"I don't know. . . I think that would only make students uncomfortable. We may need to keep both issues separate for now. . ." She was trying to be respectful about the older woman's idea, but knew she had to be stern to keep it from happening.

"Could we organize one-on-one therapy for everyone?" she asked. "Most students would probably feel safer if they could talk to a mind-healer in private, rather than in front of all their peers."

McGonagall thought about it for a few moments before giving a slight nod. "It will require extensive organizing to make it happen, but I think it's possible." She smiled and returned to the spot behind her desk.

"Excellent. Once Draco returns tomorrow, we can begin planning." She reached for some parchment and quill to begin drafting a to-do list. She scribbled a few things down quickly.

"Erm, Headmistress?"

"Hm?" Her eyes didn't leave the parchment.

"Did you say that Draco is returning tomorrow?"

A corner of McGonagall's lips turned up and her eyes connected with Hermione's. "Yes. The bubotuber pus at St. Mungos is of considerably higher quality than our own. He should be ready to return tomorrow."

Hermione nodded, forcing her facial features to remain neutral as the butterflies in her stomach performed backflips. McGonagall had a knowing look.

"I believe that's all. You're dismissed."

Xxxxx

Hermione went about the rest of her day in anticipation. She was desperately looking forward to everything returning to the way it was before.

Without the curse to worry about, however, she became bored rather quickly. She cleaned her room, revised her potions essay, and even returned some of her library books to take up time. By the time dinner rolled around, she was exhausted and quite ready to go to bed.

Rather than sit by herself this time around, she decided to sit next to some of the other students from her house. She realized that only talking to the same group of friends was a form of isolation from the rest of Slytherin. Now that she was more comfortable with her house, she should relax.

She sat down next to a couple of fifth year students that she recognized from the common room. They were their own little gang, of sorts, and the friendliest faces at the table. Everyone exchanged pleasantries with her and they got into a discussion about Runes. Hermione was pleasantly surprised to find herself so easily accepted into this group of random Slytherins.

Eventually, Headmistress McGonagall strolled into the room and came to the podium. She gave a brief summary of the night before, in order to dispel any rumors. Although she didn't reveal any names, referring to her friends as 'Slytherin group' and Timothy as 'Gryffindor student', it was clear that the students knew exactly who the anonymous people were. Everyone at the Slytherin table was giving her looks of unconcealed admiration.

McGonagall then told them that the career groups would be disbanded and a new 'surprise' program would be implemented soon. This was met with mostly applause, as Hermione had expected. Career groups had gotten her peers out of class, but sometimes felt like a waste of time.

After their meal appeared on the table, the little group surrounded her had begun their list of questions. Any awkward silences from before were quickly forgotten as they fired question after question at her.

"Why did you leave the room? Wasn't it a bit foolish to split up the group?"

"Did it feel like you were betraying your old house?"

"What's the surprise program that McGonagall talked about? If it involves groups, can you get me and my girlfriend into the same one? Been feeling like I need to make a grand gesture, y'know?"

Hermione's answers slowly became less and less detailed and more short. Once the others sensed this, they stopped and picked up another topic for dinner: McGonagall and Professor Spalding's secret relationship. It was an interesting subject, but had already been discussed several times between herself and the other Slytherin girls. She tuned out, contributing every now and then, and just finished her dinner. She was beginning to understand why she'd kept to her little group of friends.

Xxxxx

The next morning, Hermione woke up with all of her instincts sharpened. She hadn't opened her eyes yet, but could feel herself being watched. Her mind raced to try and figure out what to do.

"OI! We see your eyes moving under your eyelids, Hermione!"

_Pansy_.

Her eyes flew open and a grin made its way across her features. Pansy, Daphne, Tracey, and Theo were gathered all around her bed. She sat up and slowly swung her legs around the side of her bed.

"I missed you all, but it's rather early for this, don't you think?" she groaned.

Tracey looked to the others and back to Hermione. "Erm, Hermione? It's eight o'clock. We've been waiting for you to come to breakfast."

She gasped and jumped up out of bed. "It's Monday," she exclaimed, her hand going to her forehead in frustration. Heading to her closet, she glared at Theo.

"Okay, okay. I'll go. . . but promise me that we'll catch up later."

She nodded and pulled out a hanger with her robes. Theo left wordlessly. The girls sat on Hermione's bed to wait for her.

"_Guess what_," Pansy coaxed in her best sing-song voice.

". . . what?" Hermione straightened up her tie.

Pansy gave Tracey and Daphne knowing looks.

She huffed and turned around to face them with her shoes in one hand, her hair still unkempt. "As you can tell, I don't have much time to get ready. So if you all could _please _just come out with whatever you're going to say, that would be _fantastic_." She grabbed her brush and started working on her hair.

"Draco will be here by lunch. He's just wrote," Daphne announced.

Hermione stopped brushing her mane, eyes wide with fear. "Uh. . . that's-"

"-Brilliant, right?" Daphne excitedly finished for her. "You were planning on confessing your feelings before he was attacked, and now you'll have the chance!"

"No!" Hermione corrected. "There's a million reasons why that's no longer a good idea, Daphne."

". . . 'A million', huh? Well, I guess you should start explaining," Tracey added.

She looked at Tracey in disbelief. "Okay. Well, reason one, and the most obvious one: he'll be still recovering from St. Mungoes. I don't-"

"-Let me stop you there, because I was certain you'd bring that up," Pansy interrupted. "What's honestly the point of waiting until he's 'recovered'? Are you afraid that he won't be in a good enough state to talk to you? Won't be well enough to understand his feelings?"

Hermione glared at her in return. "Point taken, I suppose. . . But if he rejects me, I don't want to make our Head duties awkward." She resumed brushing her hair.

Tracey rolled her eyes. "Do you hear yourself? You and Draco could be _absolutely perfect_ for each other, but you don't want to take a chance because it could be 'awkward'? Don't you think it might be worth the risk?"

"Well, yes. . . of course. But-"

"-But nothing, Hermione. If you don't take a chance now, you never will," Daphne advised softly.

She knew that they were right, but she was still holding back. Why was this so difficult?

"I just. . ." she trailed.

The girls stood up from her bed and wrapped their arms around her, making eye contact through the mirror on the wall.

"You got this," Daphne coached.

"Yeah! And if he doesn't like you back, he's daft," Tracey added.

Hermione relented. ". . . Okay. . . fine. You guys are right. . . Can I please get ready, now?"

Xxxxx

She rushed off to her first class of the day without much thought to her empty stomach. Now that Charms was almost over, her hunger was all she could focus on and she desperately wished that Flitwick would release them early.

_Just five more minutes._

Flitwick's lesson seemed to drag on forever, but he eventually finished up, and not a minute too early.

"Homework tonight is to practise the Avemsortia spell, both verbally and nonverbally. You all did well today."

Hermione gathered up her bag and stepped down from the raised seats, heading directly for the door.

"Ah! Miss Nott, would you please wait a moment?"

Hermione groaned internally before turned around with a fake smile. "Of course." She walked over to the front of the room and stood there silently while they waited for the room to empty.

Once they were alone, Flitwick gave her a kind smile. "I hear you're unsure about becoming a healer?"

_So that's what this is about_, she thought to herself.

"Erm. . . yeah. I have been having doubts whether it's right for me."

"Well, I just wanted you to know that I'm always here to talk. I changed my career choice after graduation, so I could perhaps lend some advice, if you ever need it," he offered.

Hermione looked at him surprised. "You changed your career?"

Flitwick nodded. "I did. I always thought I'd leave Hogwarts, study to become a Master Duelist, and eventually become an Auror. After my studies, I realized that the reason I wanted to become a Master Duelist was because of my love for learning."

She knew where this was heading. "Did you become a professor because of that? You wanted to help other students with their love for learning?"

"Well. . . yes. Years later, I did. For a long time, I helped others in the process of becoming Master Duelists. I didn't have an official job title and it was self-employment, of course, but it was very satisfying. I came to Hogwarts as a professor after that. Dumbledore gave me a chance when I didn't have much on my CV."

"Wow. I had no idea," Hermione thought aloud. Her hunger pains came back and her priorities quickly shifted. "I'll definitely come talk to you if I need some advice. More than likely, I will. Thank you."

He smiled, happy to have been able to help her in some way. "Of course."

Xxxxx

Hermione came to the portrait of the pears and let herself into the kitchen. The house elves were elated to see her. She had a plate of food in her hands before she could speak a word. She nibbled lightly, knowing lunch would come soon, and talked to the house elves. They had heard all about her house change to Slytherin, of course, and wanted to hear all about 'Hermione Granger's new friends'. She tried to explain how that wasn't her name anymore, but they didn't seem to understand. When they asked if it meant she had married Theo, she decided that she'd had enough to eat.

She left the kitchen with the decision to spend the rest of her free period in the library. The weekend was consumed by worrying over her friends and doing minimal school work, so she knew she needed to catch up.

Hermione found a table near the back of the room and spread her books out around her. Potions was her next class but for some reason, her book's edition only skimmed over today's lesson briefly. She got up and went to the Potion's section of the library to see if she could read up a bit more on the Golienth Draught. After five minutes of searching, she was able to find the book she needed and she took it back to her table.

After taking some notes on it, and double checking that her textbook had brewing instructions, she set the library book aside and pulled out her Herbology essay. She had finished her revisions last week, but she knew she needed to review it one last time with a fresh mind.

"There you are."

She looked up and turned bright red. Draco was coming toward her table and she still hadn't completely worked out what she was going to say to him.

_Just put it off again_, she said to herself. _He doesn't need to know that you were going to talk to him. Play it right, and you guys can go back to the way things were._

"Oh, hi! When did you get back?" she questioned, trying to keep her voice steady. Her hands went to her lap to fiddle with the seams in her skirt.

He sat down across from her. "Just a little bit ago. I ran into Daphne in the common room and she told me that I should try and find you."

She took a slow intake of breath so subtly that she was sure he hadn't noticed.

"I agreed with her, so I came to the library first." He gave her a small smile. "I need to thank you for what you did."

She let out the breath she was holding in, and her hands steadied. If all he wanted to do was thank her, she could rest easy. "I did what anyone would do."

He seemed to weigh that in his mind. "That doesn't make me any less thankful for what you did. The odds were stacked against you, having to cast nonverbally and without a wand, but that didn't stop you." He gave her the smallest of smirks. "I think you're more of a Slytherin than you know."

Hermione gave a dramatic gasp and put her hand to her heart as if appalled. "What I did was so _Gryffindor_ it's almost irrefutable."

He smiled, giving in to the bait. "_Gryffindor_?" he sputtered in an uncharacteristic tone, "Your actions were _cunning and resourceful_."

She shook her head with a barely-concealed grin. "My 'actions' were _brave and courageous_."

Draco gave her a puzzled look. "Aren't they the same? I mean, you never hear about someone who's courageous, but not brave."

". . . Well, no-"

"-Therefore, I win this argument by default?"

She smiled, completely aware of what he was doing. "You win by default?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "I'm glad you agree," he ended, ignoring that she was asking a question.

Their conversation fell into silence, both of them with slight smiles. Hermione was trying to avoid looking at him, so she stared at her books instead. She really missed this.

Draco suddenly looked up at her from across the table. He seemed to remember something.

"I almost forgot: Daphne said you needed to talk to me about something?" At her confused look, he clarified, "She said you'd been planning to talk to me about it since I was cursed?"

The bookcase across the room became very interesting at that point and her eyes shifted to it. Her hands came back down to her skirt and she followed the hem with her thumb. Thinking quickly, her eyes snapped back to his. "Oh! That! Well, that can wait. I was just going to talk to you about the new mind healer program we're going to bring in. We will be getting rid of the career groups." She internally sighed in relief at her quick thinking.

He frowned slightly and looked at her straight-on. "The mind healer program that you and McGonagall decided on yesterday?"

Panic hit her unexpectedly as she realized her mistake. She crossed her arms.

"Hermione. . ." he encouraged lightly.

"Okay! It's just, um. . . I think I have feelings for- for you. . . I wasn't going to say anything." She waited for his reaction to come.

Draco blinked. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again. It was the most nervous she had ever seen him.

"Hermione," he began after an awkward silence, "I, um. I don't. . ."

"You don't like me back," she stated, her voice short. She was getting rather impatient and wished he'd just be blunt with her at this point.

"Well, no. I didn't say that," he corrected. "I don't think anything should come of. . . this," he said, gesturing to her and himself. ". . . You deserve someone better." His eyes flashed with something unknown.

Her heart felt like it was ripping inside of her chest, but she this was the time to get the answers she needed. "_Someone better_?"

He nodded slowly, choosing to look at the books strewn across the table, rather than her eyes. "I've still got a lot of issues I need to work through. I do like you, Hermione, but I can't ask you to wait for me. You _shouldn't_ wait for me."

"That's fair, I suppose," she responded with as little emotion as possible. "If you feel that you need to work on yourself before jumping into a relationship, I'll respect that." Her voice felt like breaking, but she held it together. She still had to get through the day, so she'd put off her feelings until later. She had to.

He finally looked up at her and their eyes met. Hermione shouldn't have been happy to see the distress reflected there, but she was. She may not have gotten the answer that she'd wanted from him, but he still felt the same way. That would have to be enough for now.

Draco saw the same look in her eyes and hated that he had to hurt her, especially since she deserved the exact opposite. Although he loved to spend time with her, he knew his childhood and time as a death eater was still taking a toll on his life, emotionally. He was trying to repair those mistakes, but it took time and patience. Apologizing to everyone at the beginning of the year wasn't enough.

He stood up and left the library to give her space. Hermione, meanwhile, launched herself back into her work as though nothing had happened. If she broke down now, she wasn't sure if she'd be okay by her next class.

_Keep it together._

Xxxxx

By the time Potions was over, she was desperate for someone to talk to. Although the professors had given Draco the day-off to recover, she couldn't help but keep glancing to his seat. It was one of the most difficult classes she'd had to get through and now, she was just glad it was over.

Rather than head directly to lunch, and as a form of avoidance, she went to the common room to hopefully find her friends. Disappointment hit when she realized they'd already gone to lunch.

Hermione readied herself to possibly see Draco again. She subconsciously ran her hand over her hair and climbed the steps toward the Entrance Hall. She couldn't avoid him forever.

Strolling into the Great Hall without looking at everyone in her group, she sat down between Tracey and Theo. Her friends became quiet.

She grabbed a sandwich and looked around at everyone. Draco was the only one missing.

"How did it go?" Daphne asked gently.

"We. . . came to an understanding."

Theo laughed. "As in. . ."

She shot him a look. "'As in' he likes me back, but needs some time alone. He- he can't be in a relationship right now."

They all grinned at each other and Daphne patted her on the back.

"That's fantastic! He likes you back?" Tracey exclaimed.

"Fantastic? Understatement of the year. _Absolutely brilliant_," Theo added.

"This is going to be great, Hermione! I _knew _it was going to work out for you," Daphne commended.

Hermione held up her hand to stop them. "Wait, did you guys hear what I said?"

"Of course we did," Pansy assured her. "Draco likes you back."

"Yes, but that doesn't matter, does it?" she replied. "He doesn't want to be in a relationship."

"Hermione," Daphne started softly, "something you should know about Draco, is that he needs to think things through for awhile before he takes action."

"Yes! You did your part, now he has the time to think about it," Pansy added.

Theo started digging around in his robe pockets. "Should we start the bets? Because I think they'll be together by. . . February!" he announced.

"Theo!" Tracey scolded. "Placing bets right in front of her? You know that's wrong. . . Besides, they'll definitely be official by next year."

Everyone but Hermione laughed at that. If what they were saying was true, she didn't have anything to worry about. After a moment of taking it in, she felt overjoyed. Out of nowhere, she laughed aloud.

The others looked to her in surprise.

Once she started, she couldn't stop. The seriousness of her friends around her, only made her laugh harder. Eventually, still in her fit, she was able to get out a single sentence: "I'm- I'm just really happy right now."


End file.
